The municipality has announced in a statement that problems have been “exacerbated by the deterioration” of the building and machinery. The decision to temporarily close the facility stems from an “urgent need to carry out structural rehabilitation work” on the complex, which is over 30 years old.
“The closure will have a direct impact on the community, especially on sports clubs that use the space for training and on citizens who participate in regular activities or municipal projects there,” the municipality notes.
To mitigate the effects of the closure, the city council has announced a set of direct support measures for sports clubs and the creation of alternatives to ensure, “whenever possible, the continuity of the active senior project activities, particularly in gymnastics and water aerobics.”
According to the municipality, the rehabilitation works for the municipal swimming pool complex require a public tender and subsequent approval by the Court of Auditors. It is estimated that “the duration of this intervention will not be less than 18 months.”
The city council acknowledges that this is “a difficult decision” but considers the work essential to ensure safety, quality, and well-being for the population, the statement concludes.
The temporary closure of Faro’s municipal swimming pool complex has been criticized by the local CDU Coordinating Committee, describing it as “a severe blow to local sports, the quality of life for residents, and the future of associations and clubs operating there.”
According to the political coalition comprising the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party “The Greens” (PEV), “the lack of maintenance and disinvestment by the municipality has led to the progressive closure of various facilities, leaving only the learning tank and indoor pool operational.”
The CDU demands that the municipality “carry out the necessary rehabilitation works and ensure the continuity of its operation, as well as the direct management of a sports and social heritage of inestimable value to the city,” concludes the political force.
