„There is no disadvantage for pool visitors“, Gertrud Smid from the Green Party explains. The parking fees will be off set against the entrance fee. A city-wide charge at all pools is also not planned. When the new parking fees will come into effect has not been announced yet.

„The city council has not yet presented a concept nor explained if they are considering a cooperation with the City Parkraum company. It is important to us, that there are no additional costs for the visitors of the pools“, said Binnaz Öztoprak, deputy spokesperson of the SPD fraction. The concept is already implemented in the Melbbad in Poppelsdorf. For a few years now the visitors there are paying for the parking near the open air pool.

The area with approximately 80 spaces is rented out to a private operator. In a small pay kiosk an employee charges the fee. Pool users are paying one Euro per day, external users are charged two Euro. Outside the open air pool season, the spaces can be used free of charge by the residents. No other pool is charging for the parking yet, but the parking at the Frankenbad in the old town has a time limit which ends already before the pool closing in the evening. The parking area at the open air pool in Friesdorf is also used by people who want to have access to the Friesdorf town centre.

Bigger parking lots are located at the Hardtbergbad and the Römerbad. Other cities and towns are charging the pool visitors for a while already. In Bad Honnef there are parking meters for the open air pool on the Grafenwerth island. Pool users pay a day fee of four Euro. The open air pool season is not yet finished in all pools this weekend: The Ennert- and the Hardtberg-Bad stay open as long as the weather is still good enough, from 7am every weekday. (Original text: Sabrina Bauer Translation: Mareike Graepel)