Swimming enthusiasts in Frankfurt can rejoice: a new air dome means that the outdoor pool in Nieder-Eschbach can now also be used in the winter months. The innovative roofing will be erected over the pool from September to May and offers recreational and amateur swimmers as well as young and top athletes an additional training facility.
Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Mike Josef, also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Frankfurter BäderBetriebe, emphasized the importance of the new facility at the opening ceremony: "After three years of planning and construction, the urgently needed water area in the north of Frankfurt has been created. The new hall offers schools in the north of Frankfurt in particular great added value for swimming lessons. At the same time, citizens can also use the pool in winter for the first time."
The hall was inaugurated on Thursday, December 5. In addition to Mike Josef, Boris Zielinski, Managing Director of Frankfurter BäderBetriebe, was also present. The state of Hesse supported the project with a grant of one million euros from the "SWIM" swimming pool investment and modernization programme. These funds went towards the air dome, the modernization of the heating technology and a new multifunctional building. The aim is to significantly increase the annual number of users for school and club sports as well as public swimming. Forecasts predict an increase in the number of school swimming visitors from 550 to 10,550 and in club sports by 10,000. Public swimming is expected to grow by a further 25,000 visitors.
Hesse's Minister President Boris Rhein praised the investment as an important step in promoting sport: "For Hessian athletes to remain successful, they need optimal training conditions. With the 'SWIM' program, we have strengthened the swimming pool infrastructure in Hesse. The project in Nieder-Eschbach is an excellent example of this. With the follow-up program 'SWIMplus', we are continuing this development and investing a total of 25 million euros in modern swimming pools and the promotion of physical activity in 2024 and 2025 alone."
Boris Zielinski was also impressed by the rapid implementation of the project: "The air dome and the associated functional building were completed in record time. The new indoor pool will create ideal conditions for school swimming lessons in the future."
At the opening ceremony, young swimmers Melvyn Faber-Billot, participant in the European Youth Championships, and Stella Lentge, bronze medal winner at the 2024 German Short Course Championships, took the symbolic plunge into the water. They were accompanied by pupils from Otto Hahn School. The new air dome thus not only marks a milestone for Frankfurt's swimming pool landscape, but also for the promotion of swimming in the region.
