Cooling off approaching: outdoor pools in Saxony open at Whitsun

The swimming season has long since begun on Saxony's waterways. Shortly before Whitsun, the first outdoor pools in the Free State are now opening, but others are still waiting. In the state capital, people can swim in five of the facilities from Thursday, with the rest following at the end of May.

"The preparations have been completed, the technology has been put into operation and the teams are ready to go," said Dresden City Hall. In addition to the Georg-Arnhold-Bad in the city center, the Kombibad Prohlis and the Strandbad Wostra near the Elbe, two bathing areas on the outskirts of the city in Weixdorf and Weißig can also be used. Six other areas, such as the Cossebaude reservoir pool, will not open until May 30. All outdoor pools are open daily from 10 am to 7 pm, the Arnhold pool even until 8 pm - with the same admission prices.

The gates of Leipzig's five outdoor pools will also open for the Whitsun weekend. According to the town hall, the Robbe children's outdoor pool at Schwimmhalle Nord will then follow suit on Children's Day (June 1), as it does every year. All the positions required for operation have been filled thanks to extensive advertising. "Without seasonal staff, there is no season," said pool manager Martin Gräfe. "We are more than happy that we have been able to hire 60 seasonal staff."

While cashiers and helpers are usually found more quickly, hiring lifeguards is "like looking for a needle in a haystack year after year", reported Gräfe. However, as a university location, the city benefits from students interested in jobs. It was also noticeable that the water rescue service and DLRG were able to resume training without restrictions after the pandemic. According to Gräfe, investments have been made in recent weeks to repair infrastructure and technology such as filter systems - a total of almost 1.2 million euros. Damage caused by vandalism and break-ins also had to be repaired.

The Chemnitz outdoor pools in Wittgensdorf and Gablenz will also be ready for water lovers from Saturday as planned, with the Einsiedel facility following a week later. According to the town hall, the Rabenstein reservoir has been open for splashing around since the beginning of May. In the pre-season, which lasts until mid-June, the outdoor pools are still accessible for a shorter period, but open earlier in the morning or longer in the evening in "exceptionally good weather" - depending on the weather conditions and operational readiness. There is currently enough staff to operate the outdoor pools and the admission price is constant.

Swimmers in Zwickau will have to wait a week longer. The Planitz lido will open on May 25, according to a town hall spokesperson. Here too, "fortunately" qualified staff are available to guarantee daily opening from 9 am to 8 pm. For the new season, the diving tower has been renovated and investments have been made in a new filter system and the beach volleyball facility.

The Bäder Plauen GmbH has postponed the start of the season at the Preißelpöhl outdoor pool, which was planned for Whitsun. "Unfortunately, thunderstorms and rain are forecast for the next few days, so we won't be opening until the next spell of good weather." The Haselbrunn outdoor pool will not follow until June 8, as construction is still underway there. There is currently no shortage of qualified staff at the pools, such as lifeguards, and in very hot weather it is possible to splash around for longer. Ticket prices have been adjusted due to higher staff costs and increases in operating expenses.

Swimmers and other bathers will not be able to use the outdoor pools at the Geibeltbad in Pirna for a few weeks. The outdoor pool will be available from June 1, as it was last year. "Experience shows that the weather in May is not so stable," said a spokesperson for Stadtwerke Pirna GmbH. And they are in the privileged position of being able to offer an alternative with the indoor pool.