Deputy Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) and MA 44 department head Hubert Teubenbacher took stock at the end of the summer season. 1.9 million people came to Vienna’s swimming pools this summer to cool off and have fun. This corresponds to an increase of 50 percent compared to the previous year.
The season officially ends on Sunday, September 18th, matching the weather forecast with daily maximum temperatures of around 15 degrees, brisk to strong westerly winds and brief rain showers.
Gänsehäufel most popular again
With 316,500 visitors, the Gänsehäufel was the most visited pool. The Kongressbad (155,000), Alte Donau (117,500), Laaerbergbad (116,000) and Schafbergbad (108,500) followed. The largest influx was recorded in calendar weeks 29 (274,271 visitors), 26 (242,263) and 24 (181,271).
More than 1,100 children learned to swim as a result of the “Vienna swims!” campaign. It was aimed at all children who attended the 3rd grade of elementary school in the past three school years and missed school swimming lessons because of the pool closures during the corona crisis. They were able to acquire swimming skills in a ten-day intensive course with a maximum of six participants each.
End of season also for cabin owners
While the pools will soon be empty again, on Saturday the cabin owners filled their glasses for the last time this summer at the end of the season. The cabins were cleared out and cleaned.
There was a spirit of optimism, and when leaving the cubicles and cabins there was melancholy: “It’s sad because now there’s a seven-month break again,” said an interview with “Vienna Today”. “Now you have to wash everything at home and then I’ll bring everything back for next year. I’ll pack that in boxes with scented bags and then next year you’ll have it all together in a jiffy and you just have to clear it out and lie in the sun,” said one cabin owner, already looking forward to next year.
Energy saving contracts concluded
In addition to a construction program for two training halls and three indoor swimming pools, Vienna’s swimming pool strategy 2030 envisages the optimal use of the existing floor space and the modern upgrading of the offer. Several projects were completed in the 2022 season, such as the renewal of the wave pool in Gänsehäufel.
Energy saving contracting agreements were concluded for 16 indoor and summer pools. In the course of these projects, among other things, solar systems and heat pumps were installed, heating and ventilation systems were optimized, heat recovery systems were installed, control systems and pumps were renewed and completely new filter technology was installed for the pool water on Saturday. As a result, water consumption can be reduced by up to two thirds.