Colaba's Backgardens, under direct threat from a local politician, risked extinction. In its place was planned a swimming pool, apparently for the elite and rich. Which slum child could afford to pay to swim? Not many. It was widely feared that Colaba would lose its one and only ground. After all, every child of Colaba had played football here or taken part in a sports activity through his/her school. It was of little wonder then that all the schools in Colaba pooled in their resources and through Krishna Pawle of Aadhar Pratisthan, took up the issue of reclaiming Backgardens. The ground was, after a huge struggle, reclaimed for its original cause. In commemoration, a series of football matches were organised by Aadhar Pratisthan, in memory of Colaba resident and renowned footballer Late Bandya Kakade.
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Eighteen-year-old Tejas Krishna Raut who lives at Colaba Market refused to let the heat bog him down last weekend. After all it was for a cause…a cause he believed in more than anything else in the world. “Saving Backgarden” as the triangular Wellington Garden located between Campion and St Anne’s School is known, topped his list of priorities on a weekend that he would otherwise have willingly spent sleeping.
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Tejas has been playing for Premier India Football Academy (PIFA) for some time now and last weekend joined in with a whopping 1,000 who came to either watch or participate in the 28 Under-16 teams playing football in a Colaba Junior Football Championship tournament as a rundown to Children’s Day. That the prizes were Hero cycles and Samsung mobiles weren’t as important as the cause itself. Most of the children who played at the ground had been playing there for years on end and had one thing in common: They were all playing to “save the ground” from being forced by the civic authorities to accommodate a swimming pool and a parking lot.
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It is widely feared that Colaba’s Sabina Chandrashekhar Memorial Municipal Garden and Playground, formerly called Wellington Gardens, that has been used by almost every child in Colaba, particularly during his or her growing years, risks being ‘turned into a swimming pool.’
Opposing a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation proposal to build a swimming pool, in the garden, the football-crazed children of old Mumbai’s Colaba finally decided to take things in their own hands. Supported by a local social NGO, Aadhar Pratisthan, the players wore multi-hued T-Shirts, all of which bore ‘Save Backgarden. No Swimming Pool’ as they partook in the Colaba Junior Football Championship, playing with fervor like never before. This time around, it was for a collective cause - to save a neighbourhood playground.
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Parents of children studying in Colaba schools, including Campion, Holy Name and St Anne’s, have been fervently opposing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) proposal to build a swimming pool in the garden that these schools have been using as their playground.
Presently the garden is being maintained by four schools and is used by several others. Open to the public for fixed hours during the week, the ground is thrown open for longer hours on weekends. Now, it is also used by Pavement School, a charity project for slum and street children.
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The Colaba Junior Football Championship tournament which was supported by PIFA Colaba FC had over 1,000 children either participating or watching the matches in a tournament organized to bring about awareness of the potential threat of plans to build a swimming pool and a parking lot in ‘the only public football garden in Colaba.’
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The final match was played between PIFA Colaba FC and Oscar Foundation at the occasion, which was attended by dignitaries such as Bandiya Kakade, Souter Vaz (WIFA – Hon Sec), Surinder Karkera (Founder of Bipin Memorial), Akhil Ansari, Faroukh Ahmed, Arshad Hussain and Shabbirbhai all prominent football personalities. PIFA Colaba FC won the tournament beating Oscar. The guest of honour was Suhas Khamkar Mr Asia (Body Building).
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Timeline
2004
Proposal to construct a swimming pool was abandoned after protests from schools.
2009
Talk of constructing a swimming pool in the ground. A Right to Information application revealed there was a plan to build a swimming pool.
2011
The BMC pasted notices on six trees in the playground saying that they will be felled to make way for a swimming pool. The swimming pool will take up only a portion of the garden and the rest would remain a playground claimed the BMC.
Point
There apparently is a valid demand for a swimming pool in the area as the nearest municipal pool is only at Dadar, offered Corporator Vinod Shekhar, whose ward has jurisdiction over the garden. There are swimming pools in hotels and private clubs, but no municipal pool in the area, feels Shekhar.
Counterpoint
Aadhar Pratishthan President, Krishna Pawle, feels that the children of Colaba need to have the ground for themselves and any move to compromise that will be dealt with firmly. If the residents want to swim, there are umpteen swimming pools where enthusiasts can indulge easily.
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It’s KIDS United vs BMC over Colaba garden
By Gajanan Khergamker
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Tejas has been playing for Premier India Football Academy (PIFA) for some time now and last weekend joined in with a whopping 1,000 who came to either watch or participate in the 28 Under-16 teams playing football in a Colaba Junior Football Championship tournament as a rundown to Children’s Day. That the prizes were Hero cycles and Samsung mobiles weren’t as important as the cause itself. Most of the children who played at the ground had been playing there for years on end and had one thing in common: They were all playing to “save the ground” from being forced by the civic authorities to accommodate a swimming pool and a parking lot.
.jpg)
It is widely feared that Colaba’s Sabina Chandrashekhar Memorial Municipal Garden and Playground, formerly called Wellington Gardens, that has been used by almost every child in Colaba, particularly during his or her growing years, risks being ‘turned into a swimming pool.’
Opposing a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation proposal to build a swimming pool, in the garden, the football-crazed children of old Mumbai’s Colaba finally decided to take things in their own hands. Supported by a local social NGO, Aadhar Pratisthan, the players wore multi-hued T-Shirts, all of which bore ‘Save Backgarden. No Swimming Pool’ as they partook in the Colaba Junior Football Championship, playing with fervor like never before. This time around, it was for a collective cause - to save a neighbourhood playground.
.jpg)
Parents of children studying in Colaba schools, including Campion, Holy Name and St Anne’s, have been fervently opposing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) proposal to build a swimming pool in the garden that these schools have been using as their playground.
Presently the garden is being maintained by four schools and is used by several others. Open to the public for fixed hours during the week, the ground is thrown open for longer hours on weekends. Now, it is also used by Pavement School, a charity project for slum and street children.
.jpg)
The Colaba Junior Football Championship tournament which was supported by PIFA Colaba FC had over 1,000 children either participating or watching the matches in a tournament organized to bring about awareness of the potential threat of plans to build a swimming pool and a parking lot in ‘the only public football garden in Colaba.’
.jpg)
The final match was played between PIFA Colaba FC and Oscar Foundation at the occasion, which was attended by dignitaries such as Bandiya Kakade, Souter Vaz (WIFA – Hon Sec), Surinder Karkera (Founder of Bipin Memorial), Akhil Ansari, Faroukh Ahmed, Arshad Hussain and Shabbirbhai all prominent football personalities. PIFA Colaba FC won the tournament beating Oscar. The guest of honour was Suhas Khamkar Mr Asia (Body Building).
.jpg)
Timeline
2004
Proposal to construct a swimming pool was abandoned after protests from schools.
2009
Talk of constructing a swimming pool in the ground. A Right to Information application revealed there was a plan to build a swimming pool.
2011
The BMC pasted notices on six trees in the playground saying that they will be felled to make way for a swimming pool. The swimming pool will take up only a portion of the garden and the rest would remain a playground claimed the BMC.
Point
There apparently is a valid demand for a swimming pool in the area as the nearest municipal pool is only at Dadar, offered Corporator Vinod Shekhar, whose ward has jurisdiction over the garden. There are swimming pools in hotels and private clubs, but no municipal pool in the area, feels Shekhar.
Counterpoint
Aadhar Pratishthan President, Krishna Pawle, feels that the children of Colaba need to have the ground for themselves and any move to compromise that will be dealt with firmly. If the residents want to swim, there are umpteen swimming pools where enthusiasts can indulge easily.
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