Plans for a swimming pool on Brussels Canal kicked into the long grass

When architect Prof Gérald Ledent launched his idea for an ambitious 300-metre-long canal swimming pool, reactions were initially enthusiastic. Brussels alderman for sports Benoit Hellings (Francophone green/Ecolo) released funding for a limited pre-study and both the Port of Brussels and the regional minister in charge, Alain Maron (Francophone green/Ecolo) responded positively. At the request Mr Maron the federal investment fund for Brussels Beliris allocated one million euros for a second, in-depth study.

News of the large-scale study emerged a year ago. Inquiries at Beliris by Brussels media outlet Bruzz reveal that today it has not even begun and no contract has yet been awarded to carry out the study. "We are currently drawing up the specifications for the study," says spokeswoman Elien De Swaef. "We are doing the work using the people and resources we have available."

Buoys get used for a different purpose

Steps were planned to pave the way for project. This spring, the Port of Brussels wanted to test whether the pool would pose a problem for shipping on the canal. The Port bought buoys for this purpose, which were to be used to demarcate different zones where the swimming pool could be situated.

"Meanwhile subsidence has occurred on the Monnoyer Quay on the northern stretch of the canal and the buoys have been used in that spot to keep the ships away from the quayside," explains director Gert Van der Eeken. "In this way we can avoid the boats’ wave action damaging the quayside even more." Buying new buoys is not something the port authorities plan to do right away. "They are very expensive."

Mr Van der Eeken is a big supporter of an open-air swimming pool on the canal, but also notes how neither the City of Brussels nor the Brussels Region have shown much initiative over the last year. "The Port cannot pay for the realisation of the pool, it's not part of our core business."

Swimming pool on barges

Another step towards a permanent swimming pool on the canal this summer was the plan to allow swimming on two barges along the Aken Quay. It would test the popularity of a swimming pool and consider the response in the neighbourhood to an open-air swimming at that spot. "The request to look into that actually came from the city authorities," explains Paul Steinbrück of Pool is Cool. "Together with the architecture department of the Sint-Lucas School (KU Leuven) and others we put a lot of work into this project."

Blame game

For funding and support for the project, Pool is Cool looked to the City of Brussels authorities and alderman for sports Benoit Hellings. "We never got the impression that the City really wanted to take the lead," Steinbrück says. "Whereas you do need a political authority that really wants to move the project ahead."

Mr Hellings says the outdoor pool is still a political priority of his. He claims it is Pool is Cool that has given up. A possible test will be carried out during the next parliament, the alderman notes.

Prof Gérald Ledent, who first took the initiative, says all this shows that in this dossier of the open-air swimming pool a real pilot is missing. "The procrastination is a big damper on the enthusiasm of the many people involved."