Brussels, (Brussels Morning) – The rising energy prices are being felt everywhere, and Flemish swimming pools are therefore considering price increases. After all, the water has to be heated, which requires a lot of energy. Higher prices for entrance tickets are not yet on the table in Brussels, a survey by BRUZZ shows.
The sky-high energy prices will also translate into more expensive entrance tickets to swimming pools, De Morgen writes today. In the Netherlands it has been a sensational subject for some time. For example, the entrance fees to the swimming pool De Brink in Zelhem near Arnhem have already risen by 2.50 euros, according to RTL Nieuws .
We are not that far in Belgium yet, although the swimming pools are certainly feeling the rising energy costs. The Network Local Sports Policy, to which many swimming pools in Flanders are affiliated, confirms this to De Morgen . There is no immediate problem for establishments with a fixed energy rate contract. In the case of variable energy rates, the question is how cities and municipalities will cope with this: will the temperature of the water go down, or will the price of the entrance ticket go up?
Brussels swimming pools
On average, the Brussels resident pays more for the gas and electricity bill than the Fleming. Still, there’s good news: pool prices don’t seem to be rising right away in the future.
The prices of the three swimming pools of the City of Brussels – in Brussels-City, Laeken and Neder-Over-Heembeek – will remain as they are now and will not rise in the future, says Els Wauters, spokeswoman for Alderman for Sport and Climate. Benoit Hellings (Ecolo-Green). They work with fixed energy contracts and are currently being saved.
Dirk Van de Wiele, head of the Movement and Sports department at the VUB, does not immediately see a price increase for the VUB swimming pool: “There has been talk about it, but at the moment there is nothing concrete on the agenda. At the VUB, something similar has to be done by the student council. If it comes at all, it won’t be until next year.”
This trend also appears to be continuing at municipal swimming pools. Neither the swimming pools in Etterbeek, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and Sint-Joost-ten-Node have seen price increases.
