On 17 September, the Ringallee outdoor pool closes its doors for 2023. Giessen's pools can look back on an average season.
Around 103,000 visitors took up the offer of the Giessen pools and came to the Ringallee outdoor pool on the 140 opening days of the 2023 season. After two consecutive record-breaking summers - 2018 and 2019 - and the coronavirus years, Giessen's pools thus recorded a result that is around 11,000 bathers above the average of the past 20 years. "In view of the rather cloudy and cool weather - especially during the Hessian summer holidays - we are very satisfied with this," says Uwe Volbrecht, Head of Giessen's pools, commenting on the season at the Ringallee outdoor pool, which will be open for the last time this year on 17 September.
However, the largest of Giessen's three outdoor pools is not only suitable for swimming a few lengths, cooling off or simply spending a few pleasant hours in the sun. In recent years, it has also established itself as the location for a popular event: In fact, the "Spiel' Dein Spiel City Day" was once again really busy - in the pools and especially on the sunbathing lawns. As in the past, Stadtwerke Gießen offered clubs from the region a platform to present themselves to a broad and interested public in 2023. With success: on the third Sunday in June, more than 5,000 people took the opportunity to find out about various, sometimes exotic sports - from flag football to lifeguard swimming and rock 'n' roll dancing to aerial hoop.
Lots of work over the winter
The Giessen pools usually use the long break between the autumn closure and the opening next spring for repairs and improvements. As Uwe Volbrecht puts it: "The fact that we're closing doesn't mean that everything goes into hibernation." In fact, the renovation of the roof on the changing rooms building will begin in the next few days. Once this has been completed, further work will be carried out immediately afterwards. "We are installing a photovoltaic system with a total output of 99 kilowatts peak on this very roof," announces Uwe Volbrecht. "We are also lining the non-swimmers' pool with a new pool liner. The planning for this is already in full swing," reveals Uwe Volbrecht.
Until the Ringallee outdoor pool is open again for swimming, splashing, sunbathing and ball games, the Ringallee indoor pool and the Westbad are available. Up-to-date information on opening times, courses and admission prices can be found at www.giessener-baeder.de or at www.facebook.com/giessenerbaeder