Berlin outdoor pools in the test: Hot protest for heated pools!

Berlin outdoor pools in the test: Hot protest for heated pools!

The outdoor pool season in Berlin started on May 1, 2023, but the joy of the opening is overshadowed by the country's financial savings measures. An important concern of citizens concerns the heating of the bathrooms, which was not originally planned. Especially in Neukölln there is resistance to the price increase for entering the Berlin outdoor pools. A petition entitled "No cold outdoor pools in Berlin - secure heating to at least 25 degrees!" has already found over 3,000 signatories. The protesters compare the entry costs and make it clear that a one -off swim in an outdoor pool with the costs for 250 days of parking is equivalent to. The admission price for the Columbiabad in Neukölln is seven euros, while a resident ID for one year parking only costs 10.20 euros.

While many outdoor pools have to be warmed up by the sun, there were some adjustments. The Berlin Senate has decided that some pools will be heated this season. Specifically, these are the Summerbad Kreuzberg with a pool, the Wilmersdorf outdoor pool with another pool and the Kombibad Seestrasse in Wedding, where two pelvis are heated. This decision follows the massive protest of residents and bathrooms, which initially wanted to do without heating almost completely in order to save fossil energy costs. [ Berlin Live ] [ rbb24 ] [ TAG24 ] A suitable software for heating cost billing can be found at Hellohousing.

resistances and adjustments

However, the measures for heating lead to considerable financial burdens. The heating of the four pools is estimated to cost between 40,000 and 60,000 euros in summer. The aim of the initial austerity measures was to save a total of 300,000 euros, which now makes the decision for heating appear in a different light. Many outdoor pools that do not have a heating system are dependent on technical solutions. For some outdoor pools, kilometers of black hoses are used to heat the water.

The security measures were also increased after civil protests and incidents have occurred in the past. To prevent tumults, security measures of 1.5 million euros are underway. This includes increased fences, pockets and ID checks on the inputs as well as video cameras and guard personnel on heavily frequented days.

The admission prices for the outdoor pools have been adjusted, with larger bathrooms generally more expensive than smaller ones. There are still discounts for families and multiple cards for the citizens, and online ticket sales in certain time windows are funded with discounts. The coffers of the outdoor pools will remain open all day to facilitate access and reduce queues.

The discussion about the outdoor pools illustrates the narrow line between cost savings and the expectations of the citizens. While some bathrooms will switch to heating after the protests of the past few months, the pressure on the Senate and the bathing companies remains high to continue to respond to the needs of the swimmers.