Lisbon. Urban swimming pools at risk due to rising energy prices
There are parishes in Lisbon that run the risk of seeing urban swimming pools close. All because the increases in the cost of gas, electricity and water can exceed the financial capacity of the entities that exploit this equipment.
The first complaint came last month when, in a statement, Clube Oriental de Lisboa announced that the Parish Council of Marvila did not have the maintenance plan at the cost of a total value of the table, due to the maintenance of a total value of the table, due to the maintenance of the club says the cost of maintenance.
Questioned by the DN, Oriental’s management confirmed the possibility of closing the pool, although the second Marvila’s record is the stage for “registered emblematics, such as polo v. In this sense, he sent clarifications to the club’s official statement, stressing that it is only hypothetical that on this website “developments” already following the announcement of the situation of the municipality, contacts to grant financial support “to enable the continuation of activity in the pool, from September 2022”. Following the statement, the DN contacted the Marvila Parish Council, but did not receive any response.
In turn, the Lisbon City Council confirmed the concerns raised by the managing entities. Reinforcing that it has maintained public contact in order to “keep the pools open”, even because the municipal executive considers that the pools are “fundamental” equipment. And the possibility of costs is not, at all, post aside. According to the municipality, this is “a topic to be considered in the future with the parish councils, entities that manage the swimming pools”, detailed to the DN in a written response.
In addition to the situation in Marvila, there are also concerns in the Alcântara Parish Council, related to the Alvito swimming pool. The situation is different from shared receiving. To DN, the president of the Alcântara frequency, the Alcântara protocol explained that, “in the case of equipment exploitation, it was prolonged and has not yet reflected these concerns”. “The notice was given and this receipt exposed [do eventual aumento dos custos]because the pools are used by a lot of people and it is necessary that this effort be made”, argued Davide Amado referring, although “the Lisbon City Council says that it is aware of the problems and seeks to keep the pools open”, a possibility that was confirmed by the municipality .
To DN, source of the municipal executive that this is, the plan, “regardless of the managing entity”. Does this mean granting management to a private company, for commercial purposes, in these equipments? According to the answers provided by the municipality, the strategy does not stop there. “No guarantee from commercial companies is foreseen”, the Lisbon City Council told DN.
Also according to Davide Amado, leader of the parish of Alcântara, “the City Council is doing everything to ensure that the swimming pool remains in operation”the Lisbon executive expects “a positive result, with some results, a few, from pool users, which proved to be “important” for a large number of customers, where, similar to what happens there, in Vale Fundão, there are different modalities to be practiced, in addition to the use by part of the population.
Oriental claims cost of 40 thousand euros
The eventual closure of urban swimming pools in the capital was denounced by Clube Oriental de Lisboa, in a statement published on the website. The club, whose football team plays in the district championship of the Lisbon Football Association, claims that, facing the increase in maintenance costs, the Marvila Parish Council would only reimburse these expenses until the end of July, and it is uncertain that continue to operate beyond the month of September. The amount amounts to 40 thousand euros and, according to the statement, “the Clube Oriental de Lisboa does not have the financial capacity for this monthly charge”. In a statement, the club’s management explains that it has already started contacts with the competent authorities and, in particular, the Municipality of Lisbon, Junta de Freguesia de Marvila. In 2020, Piscina do Vale21 hosted the Triathlon World Cup, which won 145 athletes (men and women) from various countries.