No policy for swimming pools at condos: City Hall
KOTA KINABALU:
The City Hall does not have any swimming pool policy for condominiums and apartments. Its Director General, Datuk Dr Chua Kim Heng, urged condominium and apartment residents to form a committee and hold a meeting with their building management to discuss about safety at swimming pools. Chua made the suggestions yesterday when asked whether City Hall has any policy for building swimming pools near the condominiums and apartments. “City Hall does not have such policy yet. However, it has a requirement to ensure the safety of the residential buildings,” he said. “In future, I hope an authority would implement the enforcement, just like in any condominiums and apartments in other developing countries for the safety of the residents. “In other countries, the management of the buildings even security personnel to ensure the safety of the residents,” he said. Chua pointed out it would be much better for parents or the management of the condominiums and apartments to provide life jackets at the swimming pools and security too. “This is for their safety and their children or to ensure their children use them by the time they approach the swimming pool for a swim. “The second measure is to have parents or adult family members escort the children to the swimming pool is because we never know what could happen. “The only security aspect under City Hall is the architectural design of the condominium and apartment buildings, including the swimming pools that must adhere to the specification which could be approved by City Hall,” he said. Asked on the kind of specification for the swimming pools, Chua said: “For example, the swimming pools should have a gate and must be certain feet away fro the gate, according to the City Hall requirement. The swimming pool grounds should not be slippery.” On whether the developers oft] condominiums and apartment should separate the swimming pool for adults and children, Chua replied “Yes, two areas are separated, that is, the adult area of the swimming pool would be deeper and the children’s should not be deep. “However, for high class hotel City Hall has a requirement for the owners to ensure the safety of the’ customers at their swimming pool “That is why the hotel owners concerned must hire security, but hope the policy would be here for the condominium and apartment residents too or other body authority could implement the policy because it concerns the safety of residents,” he said.
