If it were up to a majority in the sports committee, the modernisation of the Hardtbergbad would take place in the slimmed-down version proposed by the city administration. As reported, the city published details of the renovation and redesign during the summer holidays. Actually, the Hardtbergbad with its indoor and outdoor pools was to be developed into a family pool in accordance with the plans for the reorganisation of Bonn's pool landscape.

In the course of this, a further extension was to be built for families and children with a course pool, year-round slide and catering facilities. However, the administration calculates that the renovation plus extension to a family pool would cost 51.5 million Euro. This would be 21.5 million Euro more than the 30 million Euro budgeted for the Hardtbergbad from the baths lump sum.

Because this additional amount is not available in the budget, as the head of the baths department, Stefan Günther, emphasised, the city has proposed a modernisation without the extension, which will probably still cost 38 million Euro including risk surcharges. Modules 1 to 3 of the plan are to be implemented, including not only the energy-efficient refurbishment but also an additional teaching pool with a lifting floor. Modules 4 to 7, on the other hand, could not be financed. The sports committee followed this argumentation with the votes of the council coalition and the Bürger Bund Bonn.

Fenja Wittneven-Welter (SPD) did not hide her disappointment: "We are sad and disappointed, but we have to face reality. However, the coalition still had one sentence written into the administrative draft. The extension is to be built as soon as money is available. In view of the large number of ailing baths in Bonn, it is unclear when that might be.

The CDU and the FDP, on the other hand, had tabled an amendment that envisages the complete extension to a family pool. It did not find a majority. Nicole Bonnie (CDU) said of the proposal: "We want a family pool in this city. We have to do something for that." And Florian Bräuer of the FDP could no longer recognise the "profile of a family pool" originally decided politically in the slimmed-down version.

However, the decision of the sports committee is only a recommendation. The decision-making authority lies with the Hardtberg district council (BV), which next meets on 31 August. According to the press office, the fact that the BV has to decide on an expenditure that is such a burden on the budget is due to the NRW municipal code.

"The district statutes explicitly list sports facilities and swimming pools, and exceptions are only made for the Sportpark Nord, Sportpark Pennenfeld and the Hardtberghalle because of their supra-district significance," Markus Schmitz explained. Neither the municipal code nor the district statutes provide for a value limit. The Council had decided on the overall concept for the baths, and the district councils were competent to decide on the design planning.

Hardtberg district councillors from various political groups have already expressed their displeasure with the administration's proposal to the GA. Even though representatives of the council coalition hope that the borough councillors will see sense in view of the tight budget situation, nothing seems to have been decided yet.

Bert Moll (CDU) told the GA that the CDU and FDP will repeat the amendment for a family pool, which was rejected in the sports committee, in the district council. "Particularly important for the CDU is the parent-child area with a course pool where children can learn to swim well," Moll said. That would be modules 4 and 5 in the planning.

Jutta Brodhäcker, spokesperson for the Green Party in the Hardtberg district council, also wants to see at least these two modules implemented; the planned slide and the catering facilities are less important to the Greens. "We must not only talk about the fact that our children have too few opportunities to learn how to swim.“

Dominik Loosen of the Hardtberg SPD did not want to comment on his parliamentary group's position at this stage. "We have to discuss a viable way and a good solution within the coalition."

Original text: Philipp Königs

Translation: Mareike Graepel