Summer temperatures Swimming pools to open earliest in mid-May
BONN · It’s getting warm in Bonn and temperatures might even reach the 30-degree mark. But if you are looking to take a nice cool plunge in an outdoor swimming pool, you will have to wait a bit.
Summery warm weather has come to Bonn and the region with temperatures climbing up to nearly 30 degrees Celsius. It is expected to remain warm for the weekend but if you are looking to take a refreshing dip in the cool waters of a Bonn outdoor pool, you will have to wait. The outdoor swimming season has not yet opened. In accordance with a city council resolution passed in January, outdoors pools can open already on May 15 in good weather, and no later than May 28. It is not yet clear how the city administration will decide for this season.
In the city council decision, there was no guarantee for 2018 that all outdoor pools would open on May 15 in good weather. There is not enough staff for operating both the public indoor and outdoor pools at the same time. As well, the indoor pools are being used for school swimming lessons until the end of May. Another factor is that outdoor swimming pool repairs have to be made at the end of winter, such as tile damage, and this work can only be carried out after the end of the frost period. Even a regular opening in late May is difficult to achieve.
Responding to a GA inquiry, deputy spokesman for the City of Bonn, Marc Hoffman said “After the long frost period, the post-winter work is currently being carried out in the outdoor pools. The aim of the city administration is to open the outdoor pools as soon as possible. Further details will be available at the end of April." On Wednesday evening at the annual general meeting of the Friesdorf swimming pool association (FFF), it was said that they would try to open the pool on May 15 but it was not yet completely clear if this was possible.
On the homepage of the City of Bonn, there are now ads for swimming pool staff. Asked why the search had only begun now, Hoffman answered, “We need temporary help every year during the outdoor swimming pool season. As always, we have already put out the help-wanted ad in January, and some workers are already in action getting the pool ready for operation after the winter.” But he added that the recruiting had not been so successful and they were trying to drum up some interest again, and were already experiencing some success this time around.
According to Hoffman, there are 30 specialists employed right now for the municipal swimming pools, and eight permanent life guards (not all working full-time), as well as ten service personnel.
Maren Storck is chairwoman of the association “Our Melbbad” swimming pool and she didn’t understand why the city administration had not been able to tell their club when the outdoor pools would be able to open. She said they had been asked that question when they began selling season tickets last week. In her opinion, it would have been good if at least one outdoor pool had opened this weekend, given the beautiful weather. The chairman of the Sports Committee, Christos Katzidis (CDU), expects the administration to implement the council's decision and open the outdoor pools on 15 May.
(Orig. text: Lisa Inhoffen, Translation: ck)
