Activists call for open-air swimming spots in Brussels during city centre dip
The Sainte-Catherine basin in the centre of Brussels was temporarily transformed into an open-air swimming pool by the Brrrussels winter swimming group on Sunday. The action is part of a campaign for a public place in Brussels where people can swim in the open air, both in summer and winter.
Around 40 members of Brrrussels, a group of winter swimmers, jumped into the basin on Sunday morning. The group originated within Pool is Cool, the non-profit that has been campaigning for years for places to swim outdoors in the capital.
Pool is Cool also ran the temporary open-air swimming pool Flow in Anderlecht, but it closed permanently last year due to a lack of funds. Now that Flow no longer exists, the members of Brrrussels have been hosted occasionally by Brussels residents willing to open up their private swimming pools.
“With this action, we want to highlight the total lack of open-air swimming facilities in Brussels,” said Paul Steinbrück, coordinator of Pool Is Cool. “This basin at Sainte-Catherine is simply the best place in town for this. It's a pool almost ready to use.
“Outdoor swimming facilities that are accessible to everyone are crucial for a city’s quality of life,” he added. “They’re places not only for sport, but also for social interaction. To spend time with family and friends, but also to meet new people. These places are simply essential and completely lacking in Brussels.”
An action to call for public open-air swimming spots in Brussels © PHOTO / VIDEO POOL IS COOL
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