Increased costs - Association warns of swimming pool closures
Some of Thuringia's swimming pools and spas are on the brink of closure, according to an association. "The reason for the situation is that costs have risen in recent years and cannot currently be covered by income," the Thuringian Spas Association announced on Wednesday. Salaries in the spas have increased by an average of 77 percent over the past seven years. Since 2021, expenditure on chemicals and consumables has also risen by 40 percent.
It is impossible to pass on the costs to the users and subsidies from the municipalities' tight budgets are also unrealistic, especially for smaller towns and municipalities. The spa association therefore demanded state subsidies of around 15 million euros for spas in municipalities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants. Otherwise, it would either be impossible to close the budget gaps in the municipalities or the swimming pools would be threatened with closure in 2024. So far, no financial aid has been provided for in the 2024 state budget.
Read also:
- A clan member is punished here
- Traffic lawyer warns: Don't talk to the police!
- Will he be convicted as Jutta's murderer after 37 years?
- He also wanted to kill his cousin
The city of Erfurt, being one of the municipalities in Thuringia, might be affected by the potential closures of some swimming pools and spas in the region. The increasing costs in these facilities, including higher salaries and expenses on chemicals and consumables, have put a strain on the budgets of smaller towns and municipalities, making state subsidies an essential consideration. Local leisure time activities like swimming in municipal swimming pools could be disrupted if no financial aid is provided.
Source: www.stern.de
