Köthener bathing world and Gräfenhainichen: weeks of closure threaten!

Köthener bathing world and Gräfenhainichen: weeks of closure threaten!

Köthen, Deutschland - The bathing world in Köthen takes a break! For several weeks, the Köthener Batzwelt and the Volkswimfhalle in Gräfenhainichen remain closed. The reason for this is comprehensive cleaning and renovation work that must be carried out on the pool, technology and equipment. As MDR , the bathing operation in Köthen will start again on time at the beginning of the summer vacation. From Saturday the bathing world will be closed for up to four weeks.

In the details of the maintenance work, Bad Manager Mandy Kassur spoke in advance at a press conference. The last opening of the sports and leisure facility was on Friday, June 21st. Work includes emptying and cleaning the pools, the technical review and partial renewing, such as the tile mirror of the wave chamber. A new fresh coat of paint is also particularly important, which should be made after the thorough cleaning. The reopening of the bathing world is aimed for for the last July weekend, whereby the release by the health department is decisive.

renovation call and investment needs

The Volkswimfhalle Gräfenhainichen also closed from Monday, August 10th. Similar work is on the plan, including cleaning the pools, maintenance of the technology and the installation of new heating benches. Here, too, information is informed online about the current status of the work. However, developments in the swimming pools show a growing renovation backlog: the investment requirement for Saxony-Anhalt's swimming pools is now 280 million euros, almost twice as high as in the previous year. These sums press on the municipalities that increasingly consider swimming pools as voluntary services and have to shorten in financial bottlenecks.

The situation for swimming training is anything but rosy. Holger Friedrich von der Deutsche Lebens-Rettungsgesellschaft e.V. pointed out the need to improve the framework conditions. Over 100 swimming pools in Saxony-Anhalt have been closed since 1990. Now children in rural regions often have to put up with long travel routes of up to an hour to learn to swim. As a result, around 40% of the under ten year olds in Saxony-Anhalt are non-swimmers, a state that urgently needs to be addressed.

preparation for reopening

The work in the Köthener Bath world is extensive and also include the intensive cleaning of climate and ventilation technology and the line system. Specialist companies take care of the technical system for water treatment, whereby, for example, impressive 1,430 cubic meters of water in the different pools must be replaced. "Water has to be rolled through well before samples can be taken for laboratory analysis," explains Kassur. This process is necessary to ensure that the water quality meets the requirements.

The reopening promises to become a highlight in July, and everything is done to make the Köthen bathing world accessible to visitors and clubs as soon as possible. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the renovation work and the subsequent exams will take place from the health department.

The outdoor pools, on the other hand, are open and in the meantime offer various offers as an alternative. One can only hope that the urgently needed investments in the swimming pools will be quickly launched so that safe and healthy swimming opportunities will continue to be available for all children and adolescents in Saxony-Anhalt in the future.