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Emaar to close 18 swimming pools in The Springs and The Meadows
DUBAI — Emaar is set to announce the closure of 18 swimming pools in The Springs and The Meadows.
The decision comes after a visit by Dubai Municipality officials to the developments on Monday, when they are believed to have raised matters relating to pool safety.
It remains unclear why the municipality targeted these two developments specifically at this time, but the lack of presence of lifeguards may be an issue.
An Emaar statement reads: “We have been in discussions with Dubai Municipality regarding the pools within the private Emaar communities and have decided to close our pools for a short period to carry out modifications to our swimming pool areas to ensure the safety and well being of our residents. We will begin to open the pools on a progressive basis as modifications are made and expect that by the end of March we will have completed modifications to our community swimming pools.”
“Whilst this may cause some inconvenience to our residents, it is only temporary and Emaar is committed to putting in place, in consultation with the home owner's representatives, the necessary modifications that will improve the enjoyment of the pools and add value to the communities,” adds the statement.
Under Dubai Municipality rulings all public pools must have lifeguards. According to Article 48 of Local Order No. 11 of 2003, “Occupiers shall be responsible for the conformity with safety and health measures and requirements in public swimming pool and availability of proper equipment and qualified lifeguard at all times and also ensure that required maintenance works are regularly carried out.”
The municipality’s ruling that all public pools must have lifeguards is being met. Or, at least in obvious cases they are. Parks and hotels have lifeguards in place who are clearly visible, for example. The municipality takes action against offenders. Yet, there are many pools that do not have lifeguards. Is there some ambiguity which exists defining what actually constitutes a public pool, or for that matter, a private pool? Certainly the municipality has clearly defined what a private and public pool is, but there appears to be some confusion.
To emphasise the lack of clarity on the subject, Emaar has in the past rejected the claim that their development’s swimming pools are public, and emphasise the idea that they are shared-private, and therefore exempt from municipality rulings.
However, Emaar is now in discussion with the civic body in this regard.
It remains to be seen whether private compounds with shared pools will now introduce lifeguards, and if Dubai Municipality will force them to do so.
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