Swimming rules in Bonn Politicians adhere to privacy screen for Muslim women

Bonn · The Bürger Bund’s motion in the council meeting to desist from hanging a privacy screen in the planned Wasserland indoor pool, has failed. Another motion in regard to the major construction project has been accepted, though.

The Bürger Bund’s motion in the council meeting to desist from hanging a privacy screen in the planned Wasserland indoor pool, has failed. Another motion in regard to the major construction project has been accepted, though. The planning details for the Wasserland indoor pool in Dottendorf have been on the table again during this week’s council meeting on Tuesday.

Due to one motion, changes in the land development plan were discussed. In another, the Bürger Bund Bonn (BBB) has proposed to desist from installing a privacy screen in the pool and prohibit swimming which is „consistent with Islam“. While the council agreed to change the land development plan - partly thanks to the votes of the „Jamaica“ coalition - the BBB motion failed due to the abstention of the Allianz für Bonn against all other votes.

Politicians of various factions made clear that the grounds for a decision are based on all different kinds of guest offers. Every pool visitor, who has been able to swim in the Bonn pools so far, can swim in the new pool as well. „Women’s hours of all kinds are part of this, I think, including the swimming for Muslim women“, said Jürgen Repschläger from the Linksfraktion, who - like the SPD, the Social Liberals and the BBB - rejects the new construction in general though. „We do appreciate that there will be all established offers in the new swimming pool, which we don’t want“, Repschläger said - earning a lot of laughter for this quip.

The Stadtwerke, which are building the pool and will run it, had issued a statement in which the technical installation of a privacy screen has been described, mainly to be used during competition events. The changing of the land development plan became necessary because the site was legally supposed to be used as a green area with sports grounds or supply facilities. The city council plans to identify a „special feature landscape“ in the new plan, for leisure and relaxation. With that, the way for the new pool would be paved.

Original text: Andreas Baumann, Lisa Inhoffen. Translation: Mareike Graepel

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