Initiative for a new indoor swimming pool launched in the city

Signatures are already being collected, and the initiative is supported by the Zug Swimming Club and the CSP (Christian-Socialist political party). The signatures must be submitted by 4 January 2023.

There are only two small indoor pools in Zug, with each being connected to a schoolhouse (Loreto and Herti). They were built in 1969 and 1975 respectively, when the city had a resident population of 20,000. Today, 31,000 people live in the city, and according to forecasts, there will be up to 15,000 more in the next 15 years.

According to the arguments of the initiative committee, these figures already show that a new and larger indoor pool is urgently needed. The school swimming pools in Herti and Loreto are used by school classes during the day, and the water sports clubs train there in the evening, but the latter activities have to be limited, as they have to share the water time fairly.

And what about the general population? You’ll have to get up early in the morning before school starts If you want to swim or train in one of the two pools during the week, or you’ll have to go without your lunch or will only be able put on your swimming costume after dinner on some days.

This is not enough in the opinion of the initiators. As the number of school children is constantly growing (more than 600 additional schoolchildren in the last 12 years), new classes have to be constantly opened. But the capacities in the two swimming pools are exhausted.
 

A new indoor pool – for whom?
The city of Zug needs a new indoor swimming pool that is open to the entire population, young and old, all day long. Pensioners are a very particular concern for the initiators. Although perhaps not as mobile as at a younger age, swimming, aqua jogging or other water sports are opportunities for them to continue to practice sports into old age. And this keeps them mobile and healthier.

Families should be able to get their toddlers used to the water for the first time in the new pool, and everyone should be able to swim when he or she has time, and not when the pool has time for them.

The new indoor pool should be designed in such a way that part of the water surface can be separated off for schools and clubs. With the growing population, more and more school swimming lessons are required, and some of these could be moved to the new pool. The water sports clubs, which now have to limit themselves enormously, will also have more training sessions available to them. They would also have the opportunity to offer more and new courses for the general population. So everyone would benefit from this.

According to the initiative committee, which is chaired by former municipal councillor (Gemeinderatin) Monika Mathers (CSP party), a new indoor pool should also have the necessary dimension for international competitions.