Clubs are looking for space for classes
Fewer and fewer children in Hanover can swim, courses are sometimes fully booked for months, and there is a lack of water surfaces. Nevertheless, Hanover’s indoor pools will go on a summer break of several months from the end of April or the beginning of May because the pool staff is needed to operate the outdoor pools. The Stadtsportbund (SSB), umbrella organization for Hanover’s sports clubs, is now desperately looking for private swimming pools, for example in hotels and sports clubs. “We can do swimming training there, too,” says Roland Krumlin, Managing Director of the City Sports Association.
250,000 euros for swimming courses – but there are no water surfaces
In the past two years, swimming lessons have repeatedly been canceled due to the corona pandemic. Baths were sometimes closed for months. As a result, many children in elementary school don’t even have a sighting horse badge. Region President Steffen Krach (SPD) has provided 250,000 euros to finance swimming courses. The problem, however, is that there aren’t enough bodies of water in Hanover.
“More water areas would be important,” says SSB Managing Director Krumlin. That’s why they are now approaching hotel operators and sports clubs like the Aspria on Maschsee to win additional swimming facilities. The mostly small pools are unattractive for the training operations of the swimming clubs, but possible for swimming lessons.
In addition, the Stadtsportbund will promote the training of so-called swimming training assistants with the help of funds from the state treasury. The assistants assist swimming masters in instructing swimming students. “We can also imagine that children get used to the water in day-care centers,” says Krumlin.
Stadionbad is open until the end of June – for schools and clubs
At least there is a glimmer of hope. The Stadionbad was originally supposed to close for five months at the end of April, like the other indoor pools in Hanover, but the summer break is now much shorter. The pool will remain open for schools, swimming courses and clubs until June 26 – only the usual bathers have to stay outside. This is only possible because the stadium pool staff will not have to move to Misburg this summer to operate the outdoor pool there. The Misburger Bad is currently being rebuilt and its outdoor pool area will not be usable this summer. “Unfortunately, a one-off effect,” says Krumlin.
By Andreas Schinkel