Visitors to the Zeehoek are dumbfounded: “No, really?!”

The swimming pool would remain open for a few more years, but this afternoon it was announced due to staff turnover, it is no longer there. In addition, the municipality does not have sufficient financial resources to give the pool its right to exist indefinitely.

Three conditions have been set by the municipality and the bath can no longer continue to exist on two points, according to the alderman. Chairman Jos Oostenbroek explains that the swimming pool is short of personnel and financial resources. “There has been a lot of unrest and uncertainty in the past period and it is important that there is clarity now.”

Loyal swimmer

Ria Bijman (73) has been with De Zeehoek for over twenty years. On Monday morning she always participates in aqua fitness. earlier she wiped away a tear, when it became clear that the swimming pool had to be closed. Due to joint problems, she has been swimming in the warm bath for years on the advice of her doctor. “There are all of us who need it. All of them in their eighties, even one of 93 who comes by car himself.”

Classes are always packed on Mondays, says Bijman. “If this stops now, swimming will be over for many people, it will be a disaster for all people with rheumatism and ailments. We always go for a coffee after swimming, people will miss that.” Other baths are too far away for her. “If I have to go to Hoorn, I will lose 15 euros at a time, for 45 minutes of swimming. We are not poor, but that money cannot be raised.”

Ria is not pleased with the loss of ‘her’ village Wervershoof. “We first had a small indoor pool and a large outdoor pool. This pool has replaced it. Not much has been done about it in recent years. Now the municipality is cutting it off completely. We first had to fight for a library, which has already been removed. It becomes really dramatic if the swimming pool also disappears. If this also disappears, you have nothing left, then it impoverishes and you have people who leave.”

Depreciated swimming pool

The new plans from the municipality are to build a residential area at the location of De Zeehoek and to install a sustainable target pool in the future. “We had hoped to be able to bring the arrival of the new bath and the disappearance of De Zeehoek closer together, but unfortunately we have to close the Zeehoek earlier.

The municipality regrets this very much, because now this region has been without a local swimming pool for longer than expected, “said alderman Gerben Gringhuis. Installing a new sustainable pool is also quite expensive, but because of the sustainable aspect it is a sensible option in the long term. choice. “If we continue to renovate De Zeehoek and make it more sustainable, we will continue to put money into a swimming pool that has actually already been written off. Investing in a new, sustainable bath is therefore better,” explains the alderman.