Sizzling sun with tropical heat and yet young people are not welcome in the Stappegoor swimming pool in Tilburg. Due to a shortage of security personnel, young people under the age of 18 are only allowed in with their parents to take a cooling dip. In the morning, only families with children are welcome, to the amazement of many visitors.
“I got up early this morning to go for a swim,” says Anita from Tilburg, one of the visitors. “But I can’t go in because I don’t have a child.” She is not happy about it. “I’m hot and just want to cool down. It’s just ridiculous.”
In the end Anita manages to get into the pool by ‘borrowing’ a child. She asked numerous parents for the favor, but most thought it was a bit of a strange request. A father found it no problem to help the Tilburg girl out of the fire and lent his child. He had two anyway.
Adults without children will have access to the pool again from 1 pm.
“It’s annoying, with this heat you just want to go into the water.”
A group of friends has a dilemma and stands indecisively at the entrance. Two of them are 18 and are allowed in in the afternoon, the third is younger and therefore only has access with his parents. “It’s annoying, with this heat you just want to go into the water.”
Security guards have been patrolling the Stappegoor recreational pool for several years now. They were hired after several girls were harassed by boys in the water.
After a number of incidents, it was therefore decided to deploy security guards for recreational swimming. One per day, but in warm weather and holidays it is two. Due to staff shortages, the rules have now been tightened up for visitors.
‘Due to a national staff shortage among security guards, it is not possible to hire sufficiently qualified security guards for the swimming pool’, says Stappegoor. Swimming for families and people older than 18 is therefore only possible on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening, and on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
“Young people also have the right to cool off in this hot weather.”
The people who want to come and swim do not agree with the measures. “Young people also have the right to cool off in this warm weather,” someone says. “But of course they have to behave. And it’s a shame that security is needed for that.”
According to him, going to the swimming pool with your parents is not an option. “We used to just go swimming with a bunch of friends. That should just be possible.”
The recreational pool hopes to be able to return to normal opening hours for recreational swimming as soon as possible.
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