If the bath spab falls into the water?
Cooling off in the outdoor pool of the konigsbad could fall through this year because of the corona pandemic: whether this year indoor and outdoor pools will be allowed to open again at all, nobody knows at the moment. "We are currently in a half-eight position. We are dependent on what the government decides. If we were allowed, we would open our outdoor pool", says walter mirschberger, head of the city of forchheim's construction, grounds and swimming pool department. But how could a bathing season look like in the konigsbad?
Due to the current corona situation, the konigsbad forchheim, including the sauna area, has been closed to the public since tuesday, 17. Marz, closed for visitors.
"We are currently in the process of drawing up a hygiene concept for the event that we open again", so mirschberger. The adventure indoor swimming pool, the sauna area and the gastronomy inside will remain closed in 2020. Also the showers and changing rooms inside the konigsbad will not be opened this year.
The indoor swimming pool in forchheim will definitely remain closed in 2020, if at all, only the outdoor pool will be open, explains mirschberger. The konigsbad can normally receive around 2000 visitors. There were too many people. "The indoor operation will not be possible this year. We couldn't control that much", he clarifies. "But if we were allowed, we open only our free space. We are currently working on the hygiene concept." also in the outdoor pool area, the distance of at least 1.5 meters between visitors had to be maintained.
At the earliest in june
The outdoor swimming pool has a surface of 20 000 square meters. "A maximum of 600 to 700 visitors at the same time was conceivable, but we still have to calculate that when the relevant decisions are available", says mirschberger. The state government in bavaria must then also determine how many swimmers can go into a pool at the same time. At the moment "revision work" is taking place among other things we check the swimming pools. If the okay should come, then the open-air bath could open in the konigsbad in june at short notice, so the bath boss.
"The mayor's wish is to be able to make an offer to the burghers for the summer." even if the bathing experience is only possible to a limited extent. "Currently we are in standby mode so to speak. What we would like most now is a clear announcement as to whether and when we are allowed to open", says mirschberger. If the konigsbad could not open until july, the swimming pool would most likely not open again this year. From an operational point of view, it would simply no longer be profitable.
A total of 35 employees work at the konigsbad. The majority of them work part-time. The konigsbad employees are currently in the process of working overtime. And what is the mood like? "The insecurity is gross. We hope for clear announcements. And then let's see", says mirschberger.