Aquatic Sports Complex Declared Open at Ratmalana
9:22pm on Tuesday 8th September 2015
The Sri Lanka Air Force will today see the dawn of a new era in its swimming and aquatics endeavours with the ceremonial opening of its Swimming Pool Complex in Ratmalana by HE the President Maithripala Sirisena today (08 September 2015).
Measuring 50 metres in length and 25 metres in breadth the pool has a depth at the shallow end of 1.4 metres and at the deep end of 5.2 metres. With 10 lanes, it is wider by 2 lanes and 3 metres than the Sugathadasa Swimming and Diving Pool.
The pool can be utilized for a variety of aquatic sports including competitive swimming and water polo, diving and lifesaving.
It is fully equipped with control booths for administration, illegal substance testing facilities, VIP enclosures, accommodation facilities for athletes, first aid stations, and auditoriums for press and other conferences, as well as facilities to accommodate approximately 1000 spectators. The fact that all these facilities are available at the same level as the Swimming Pool is another factor that places this facility ahead of that of the Sugathadasa Indoor Pool.
Construction of the complex commenced in April 2009. The project was halted for some time due to financial restrictions and was re-initiated on 1 December 2013.
The entire construction was carried out under the purview of the Directorate of Civil Engineering, Sri Lanka Air Force. The technical knowhow came from the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) and the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union.
Built at a total cost in excess of Rupees Million 162, the pool is expected to help improve the standard of swimming and aquatics in the Sri Lanka Air Force. As at now the SLAF has produced a number of outstanding sportsmen and women in the field of aquatics including the 2011 National record holder of the 50 metre free style event. Further, the women’s water polo team of the SLAF has taken home the National championship on five occasions in including the year 2011.
Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Mr BMUD Basnayake, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala, Members of the Board of Management, Base Commander SLAF Base Ratmalana, officers and other ranks were also present at the occasion.
Measuring 50 metres in length and 25 metres in breadth the pool has a depth at the shallow end of 1.4 metres and at the deep end of 5.2 metres. With 10 lanes, it is wider by 2 lanes and 3 metres than the Sugathadasa Swimming and Diving Pool.
The pool can be utilized for a variety of aquatic sports including competitive swimming and water polo, diving and lifesaving.
It is fully equipped with control booths for administration, illegal substance testing facilities, VIP enclosures, accommodation facilities for athletes, first aid stations, and auditoriums for press and other conferences, as well as facilities to accommodate approximately 1000 spectators. The fact that all these facilities are available at the same level as the Swimming Pool is another factor that places this facility ahead of that of the Sugathadasa Indoor Pool.
Construction of the complex commenced in April 2009. The project was halted for some time due to financial restrictions and was re-initiated on 1 December 2013.
The entire construction was carried out under the purview of the Directorate of Civil Engineering, Sri Lanka Air Force. The technical knowhow came from the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) and the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union.
Built at a total cost in excess of Rupees Million 162, the pool is expected to help improve the standard of swimming and aquatics in the Sri Lanka Air Force. As at now the SLAF has produced a number of outstanding sportsmen and women in the field of aquatics including the 2011 National record holder of the 50 metre free style event. Further, the women’s water polo team of the SLAF has taken home the National championship on five occasions in including the year 2011.
Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Mr BMUD Basnayake, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala, Members of the Board of Management, Base Commander SLAF Base Ratmalana, officers and other ranks were also present at the occasion.
