When I heard that the US-led forces had helped refurbish a swimming pool in the capital’s New Baghdad neighborhood, I wanted to write about what I was sure would be a joyful scene of happy children in a former militia stronghold. But when I arrived at the pool on a hot day, I was astonished to find the door closed.
My first thought was that there must be limited opening hours. But when I asked some men sitting at the entrance to the parking lot, one said woefully: “Apparently, even the happy things soon become sad in our country.”
Hamid Abdul Hussein, a guard, explained what had happened.
After years of disuse, the pool had reopened on June 7. Residents, officials, religious leaders and US soldiers turned out for an inaugural celebration.
“We brought some cake and soft drinks,” Hussein said. “People were happy.” Soon, the street outside was busy with people coming to the pool, which provided a refreshing break from the hot weather and constant power outages.
“This pool is an indication that life in this neighborhood is getting back to normal, especially after the militias were controlling (the area) and restricting people’s lives,” said Firas Mahmoud, a father of two boys who lives nearby. “People breathed a sigh of relief when it was reopened.”
Hussein said US officers had insisted that residents be allowed to use the pool free of charge. As many as 200 people were crowded into the facility on June 16. Amid all the laughter, shouting and playing, no one noticed at first that an 18-year-old youth had drowned, he said.
The response from local authorities was swift. Three lifeguards and the pool manager were arrested. Three other lifeguards fled.
The pool has been closed since. Hussein had brought his own generator to help pump the water out. Every day, neighborhood boys drop by to ask whether it will open again.
The pool used to be a popular hangout during Saddam Hussein’s regime. But its pumps and equipment were looted in the chaos that followed the US invasion in 2003. It took three months to refurbish.
Hamid Abdul Hussein is keeping the pool clean in the hopes that the manager and lifeguards will be released soon and the place can reopen.
This time, he said, “We won’t allow more than 75 to enter the pool in each shift, so that we can control them.”
