The first complaints reached Boris Zielinski when the water and air temperatures in the Frankfurt pools were still unchanged.

Apparently, the announcement that one wanted to save energy was enough, suspects the managing director of the municipal baths.

They proceeded very carefully: the children's and non-swimmer pools remained as warm as ever, only in the sports pools the temperature was lowered by one to two degrees.

Saunas are not running as long as they used to, and heated outdoor pools were closed before Christmas, when the outside thermometer read less than zero degrees.

Gunter Murr

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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20 to 25 percent of energy was saved in this way, said head of sports department Mike Josef (SPD) when presenting the annual balance sheet of the pools.

"In the event of a gas shortage, further measures would be possible." It is important, however, that unlike other cities, Frankfurt has not closed any baths as a result of the energy crisis.

Because they are becoming increasingly important as leisure and exercise offers.

Ten percent more visitors

This was also shown by the figures for 2022: more than two million visitors were counted in the twelve indoor and outdoor pools, almost ten percent more than in 2019, the last year before the corona pandemic.

The hot and dry summer attracted people to the outdoor pools in particular, where around one million guests were counted, 26 percent more than in 2019. With around one million visitors, the indoor pools are slightly below the 2019 figure.

However, the previous flagship of the bathing establishments, the Rebstockbad, has been missing for a year.

Around 500,000 visitors used it every year, and the demolition has now been completed.

The new construction of the Rebstockbad, which costs around 90 million euros, is the largest project in the extensive investment package of the bathing establishments.

“We are on schedule,” assures Zielinski.

The planning application has been submitted and the structural work has been advertised.

Construction is scheduled to begin in the middle of next year.

In 2026, the first swimmers should be able to swim their laps in a 50-meter pool that was not originally planned to be of this size.

The rescheduling caused eight to ten million euros in additional costs and led to a delay of six months, said Josef.

But for competitive sports, the offer is important.

More air domes planned

The shell of the around 40 million euro family pool next to the ice rink has already been completed and is intended to replace the outdated panorama pool in Bornheim.

Now it's time for the interior design.

The opening will probably be celebrated in 2024, said Zielinski.

On the other hand, the Riedbad in Bergen-Enkheim, which has been completely renovated for 15 million euros, should already be available again for the next outdoor pool season in summer.

In addition to the 50-meter pool, there will also be a teaching pool there in the future.

The demand for this is high – not only in schools.

The bathing establishments offered around 800 courses, mainly for children, this year.

That's more than before, and there are still long waiting lists, said Zielinski.

At some point, the pool capacity will be exhausted.

He wants to expand the offer not only through expensive new buildings, but also through comparatively inexpensive air domes, with which year-round operation is possible in outdoor pools.

The prototype in the Hausen outdoor pool has proven itself, and that is why there should be similar solutions for the Nieder-Eschbach outdoor pool and the Riedbad pool.

Demand increased this year not only because of the pool-friendly summer, but also because of the free entry for children and young people up to the age of 15.

450,000 visitors fall into this age group.

Since children are accompanied by (paying) parents, the income from admission fees has increased overall, emphasizes Zielinski.

Nevertheless, the bathing establishments will close this year with a deficit of almost 30 million euros.

Josef considers this to be money well spent that will benefit a large section of the population.