It’s the first warm day of the year and so the outdoor pools open again. Many children made the very first splash in outdoor swimming pool ‘t Kuipke in Heesch on Thursday afternoon. “We are going to have fun and swim with friends. It’s good to be back.”
At exactly two o’clock there is already a small queue for the cash register of the swimming pool. Renske Waalen is ready to let everyone in. “It is the first day above twenty degrees, so we can open again. I’m really glad it’s possible again. It is May holiday and it is nice and busy today for a first day.”
While many outdoor swimming pools have staffing problems, ‘t Kuipke seems to be running smoothly. “Luckily we have enough staff. Many people have been doing this for years. It is a small village and people grew up here with the swimming pool. They have a bond with the pool and enjoy doing something there.”
The children from the village are very happy that the outdoor pool is open again. One of them is Maaike. “I was so hot and wanted to go swimming again. It’s tasty and yet cold. When you get out of the water, you shiver a bit, but that doesn’t matter.”
A little further on, Gabriela is sitting on the edge of the pool. She is busy putting on her new mermaid suit. “I can do fun tricks with it, such as the somersault under water. All spring I was asking my mother if ‘t Kuipke was open again.”