“Dinamo” pool will be reconstructed, with UNDP support

The “Dinamo” Club is appreciated by hundreds of residents from the capital city, who come to practice swimming in all seasons. The club has two swimming pools – one for children, and another one for adults. It is also used for police officer’s training and professional swimmers’ exercising. Over the last years, because of its age, the construction has degraded, cracks appeared on the walls and in the foundation, the toilets and showers were damaged, and the old water filtering system was not efficient anymore. “Because of the cracks in the foundation, we were losing monthly over 300 m3 of water and this was affecting severely the budget of the institution,” notes the Director of the Central Sports Club, Arcadie Bostan.

The first stage of reconstruction started in September 2018. According to the technical design, the pool bed is being upgraded for the big and small swimming pools, the technical space will be rebuilt, a new system for water filtering and treatment will be installed, and the territory around the swimming pools will be equipped. At the same time, a new external lighting system will be installed. The second stage, planned for summer, implies rebuilding of the cloakrooms, toilets and showers, so as building of a waiting room, cafeteria, a sports hall, and modernization of the internal and external utility networks.

When designing the swimming pool, the opinions of the beneficiaries were consulted through an exercise called user safari, so as the future construction has an universal design and is accessible for all persons, including those with different types of disabilities, but also for the elderly and children. A group of engineers, the management and personnel of the swimming pool “Dinamo”, parents, representatives of the “Motivation” Association and of the Youth Group for Interethnic Solidarity had analyzed the technical aspects, the physical and information accessibility of the swimming pool, to improve the reconstruction design. The principle of universal design was applied previously for renovating the United Nations House in Chisinau, as well as for some projects implemented by UNDP, including the modernization of the Police Station No. 1 in Singerei and Buicani Police Station in the capital city.

After renovation, the big swimming pool, with the length of 25 meters and width of 14 meters, will have six swimming lines. The works are being carried out in line with the rules and standards of the International Swimming Federation, which will allow them to organize national and regional sport contests.

The works started at the construction site, with the demolishing of the old construction, strengthening the swimming pool’s walls and foundation, and preparing the territory for technical installations. “The project of modernizing the “Dinamo” swimming pool is absolutely unique for the Republic of Moldova. It is for the first time when laminated stainless steel plates will be used for rebuilding the swimming pool bed, as this is one of the most innovative and high-performing technologies at the world level,” mentions Viorel Albu, UNDP Project Manager.

According to the approved work plan, the modernization of “Dinamo” pool will be finalized by the end of 2019.

Before the renovation, “Dinamo” swimming pool was hosting every month about 800 police officers for training. At the same time, about two thousand persons were buying annual subscriptions to practice swimming.

The modernization of “Dinamo” swimming pool is carried out within the “Strengthening capacities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its internal subdivisions for the effective implementation of the sector reform agenda” Project, which was launched in January 2017, with a cumulative budget of 2,156,253 USD, from the MIA and beneficiary subdivisions’ contribution, as well as the co-financing from UNDP Moldova. The project aims to contribute to strengthening the operation and functional framework of the MIA for efficient, transparent and inclusive implementation of sector reforms in the field of public order, civil protection, border security, migration and asylum in line with the national priorities and international commitments.