The Strandbad Zug is a victim of its own success

The Strandbad Zug is well-frequented: almost too well. Centre party politician Martin Würmli is now demanding that the City should consider charging an entrance fee for non-residents and increasing the parking costs.
 

There's no sugarcoating it: the newly opened Strandbad Zug (lakeside lido) is experiencing teething problems. Not in terms of visitor numbers, quite the opposite. Complaints include excessively long waiting times at the restaurant and showers, overpriced food, and a lack of shade.

Although the operators claim to be constantly striving to improve the facilities - and have already succeeded in some areas - further measures are being demanded at the political level.

Martin Würmli, former city clerk and member of the executive committee of the cantonal Mitte (centre-right) party, has now submitted a petition to the city clerk's office (Stadtkanzlei) and also sent a copy to the Zuger Zeitung newspaper. His demand, according to the petition text: "In the future, visitors from outside the canton should have to pay an entrance fee, and the parking fee at the Stierenmarkt area should be significantly increased." By "outsiders," he means people who live outside the canton.

Contribution to operating costs
As Martin Würmli continues, the Strandbad Zug has become "a victim of its own success." While it is generally gratifying "that people from all over Switzerland visit our beautiful city," especially on weekends, "a very high number of visitors from outside the canton can be observed, who arrive almost exclusively by car." This causes traffic jams. And the lido is often overcrowded, and the last shady spot is quickly taken. “This significantly reduces the quality of life for the residents of Zug, for whom the swimming pool is primarily intended.”

Martin Würmli is certain that an entrance fee for visitors from outside the city and higher parking fees at the Stierenmarkt grounds would not only counteract this problem, but would also help cover operating costs. He is not alone in his call for higher parking fees: Zug City Councillor Patrick Steinle (ALG: Alternative Left and Green party) also submitted a motion at the end of June demanding “better management of the Stierenmarkt grounds by the City of Zug.”

Access to the lido should no longer be free for people who live outside the canton.
The shade at the lido still needs to grow                 Photos: Matthias Jurt
 

Martin Würmli deliberately omitted specifying the entrance fee and parking fees needed to achieve the desired effect. “I’m not an expert on this,” said the Zug resident when asked. He sees the entrance fee as a “protective measure” to prevent the lido from attracting masses of people due to its free access. He emphasizes that it should primarily serve as a local recreation area for the residents of Zug.

He also has a solution for the practical implementation of entrance control: residents should use the eZug app for this. Visitors from outside the city could purchase a ticket using a QR code. Thanks to digital control, "no additional personnel costs would be necessary." During his eleven years as city clerk, Martin Würmli himself contributed to the digitalisation of the city administration – and thereby also to the development of the eZug app.

Entry policy needs to be reassessed
As the city council (Stadtrat) stated in response to an inquiry, it is aware of the situation regarding the Strandbad Zug, and has been monitoring it "closely since its opening." Measures already implemented include a security service at the lido and traffic wardens directing car traffic in busy areas. Furthermore, a cleaning company has been hired at the lido, so that the lifeguards can concentrate on their duties.

The situation has now calmed down somewhat due to these measures, as well as the start of the school holidays and the occasionally cooler temperatures. Nevertheless, both a potential admission concept and the cost-covering management and use of the parking areas at the Stierenmarkt site will be examined.

In June 2024, the Zug City Council (GGR: Grosse Gemeinderat) considered a motion from the FDP (Liberal Democratic Party) requesting a review of the admission policy for Zug's lakeside and indoor swimming pools. The motion was rejected. Given the new situation with the opening of the lido, however, a political reassessment is "certainly appropriate," according to the City Council.

The GGR and the City Council are currently unable to make any decisions on the submitted motions due to the summer recess. The City Council will, however, continue to address the issue after the summer break.

Even thought this summer will be nearly over by then, more will follow. According to climatologists, things are likely to become even hotter – and thereby attract even more bathers to the Strandbad Zug. One thing gives cause for optimism, however: the many young trees that have been planted on the grounds, and which should provide much-needed shade in the future.