The start of demolition of Eindhoven’s swimming pool de Tongelreep has begun. It started Thursday with the outdoor pool, later the old indoor pool will also be demolished. It is a milestone, which also brings back memories. Because many residents have memories of the old subtropical pool paradise.
With the digger in the slide, Alderman Maes van Lanschot had the honor of starting the demolition of the outdoor pool of the Tongelreep. It is the starting signal for the demolition of something the residents were proud of. The demolition shall continue for years to come. “It’s a sad day, of course, because a lot of Eindhoven residents have all kinds of emotions about this. For example, I know council members who got their first kiss in this pool,” Van Lanschot explained.
Sentiment
Many Eindhoven residents have memories of their younger days. “I used to go swimming there with my friends. It was always a lot of fun, especially with the slides. Which you hardly see anywhere else around here. It did take a while for something to be done with it, even though I didn’t miss it very much,” one woman explained to Studio040. “In the new pool, they could do with a little better cleaning, by the way. I remember that there were often plasters on the floor, which is obviously not very fresh.”
New swimming pool
The demolition is accompanied by a new swimming pool. The new Tongelreep is a pool for recreation, target groups and toddlers, an instructional pool, a large 50-meter pool, and a 25-meter pool. This is in addition to the existing 2,250 square meters of swimming water at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swimming Stadium. “An outdoor pool is not yet in the plans but is still realizable. Inside there will be a section for recreation, with a couple of very fat slides as well. Different from what it was, of course,” Van Lanshot said.
It will take years before visitors can swim at the renewed Tongelreep. “By the end of 2025, everything should be ready and a lot of people will be able to enjoy swimming here again.”
Source: Studio040
Translation: Chaitali Sengupta. She also gives online INBURGERING classes.
