Brussels’ long-awaited outdoor swimming pool will be built on the site of the former Anderlecht slaughterhouse. The plans already existed, now there is also the approval of the Brussels government. This was confirmed by the Secretary of State for Urban Planning of Brussels Pascal Smet (one.brussels-Vooruit) in a press release.
The bullet is through the church: Brussels is going to have an outdoor swimming pool. The pool complex will consist of an indoor and an outdoor pool, which will be built on the roof of the Manufakture building on the Anderlecht slaughterhouse site. In February, the Brussels region had already issued a construction permit for the project. The action plan has now been approved by the Brussels government. The Brussels Urban Planning Company (MSI) will further develop the project and examine the possibilities for exploitation. There is no delivery date yet.
The total cost of the pool project is estimated at €20.2 million. Flemish Interior Minister Bart Somers (Open VLD) confirms that the Flemish government will contribute 3.4 million euros. The Commission of the Flemish Community and urban.brussels jointly contribute 4 million euros to the structural works. For the remaining millions, the municipality of Anderlecht and various authorities are joining forces and they are also counting on funding from the ERDF fund (European Fund for Regional Development).
In addition to the swimming pool, the Manufakture building will also house food production and processing companies. Not surprisingly, says Brussels Secretary of State for Urban Planning Pascal Smet (one.brussels-Vooruit) in the accompanying press release. “The businesses use cold rooms that release a lot of heat. Heat that will be used in the future to create a pleasant water temperature.’
Swim with the Brussels skyline. It should be possible in the future.
Photo: NV Slaughterhouse – Architecture
Great urgency
The demand for an outdoor swimming pool in Brussels is strong. The non-profit organization Pool is Cool has been committed to this for years and with the support of crowdfunding Flow on the legs, a pool that can accommodate 30 swimmers. In the summer it always filled up quickly. On the basis of his authority at the Flemish Community Commission (VGC), Pascal Smet made another 100,000 euros available to the organisation.
They are bright spots in a city longing for more swimming opportunities during the summer. In 2018, the Océade water park on Heysel closed its doors permanently. Overheated citizens seek refuge elsewhere, such as in Ghent’s Blaarmeersen, which repeatedly leads to riots. There would also be one in 2024 permanent swimming pond I have to come to Neerpede.
Anyone who wants to swim in Brussels during the Christmas holidays should take the energy crisis into account. The swimming pools in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe and Sint-Joost-ten-Node will close their doors until January 2 to reduce energy bills. The one in Uccle is temporarily closed for maintenance work.
