No subsidy for swimming pool Son en Breugel

No subsidy for swimming pool Son en Breugel: 'The municipality is completely crazy!'
Photo credit: Zwembad Son BV/Studio040

Wim van Santvoort, operator of the swimming pool in Son en Breugel, is very resolute: “If the municipality decides to stop subsidising us, we will be forced to close. Then it will no longer be profitable to keep the swimming pool and the other facilities open”. Residents protested earlier this month against the threatened closure.

When the budget for 2025 was presented, it became clear that the Municipality of Son en Breugel will have to make significant cutbacks. After all, there is a deficit of €750,000. When asked whether this will have consequences for the subsidy for the swimming pool, Alderman Jan Boersma was very firm. “If there is no money, we cannot spend it. So this means that the swimming pool will not receive any subsidy”.

A hard blow for Van Santvoort, who reacts emotionally. “We play an important social role in Son en Breugel. Not only with our swimming pool, but also with the sauna and sports facilities. Young and old come here to learn to swim and for their health. It is incomprehensible that the municipality plans to cut this”.

Low

The swimming pool has received an annual subsidy of €120,000 over the past five years. A new application was submitted for the same period. This time for an amount of €200,000. According to Van Santvoort, this is still relatively low. “Comparable swimming pools in the region sometimes receive €400,000 to €600,000 per year”.

According to Van Santvoort, the municipality has spent ‘tons’ on research, only to conclude that it is an ‘excellent swimming pool, with many visitors’. “The second research cost something like €100,000. They could have saved that amount, because a round of the users had already made it clear that a swimming facility is very desirable”.

Swimmers

Something that Hanneke Boek, spokesperson for swimming club Splash, also acknowledges. “We are a club without membership fees and were specifically set up to defend the interests of swimmers. We therefore strongly protest against the intention to no longer provide subsidies and thus jeopardise the future of ‘our’ swimming pool”.

Because for Boek, a general practitioner in Son en Breugel in daily life, this is as clear as day. “Without support from the municipality, the swimming pool cannot continue to exist. “That would be a disaster. After all, a swimming pool is an important facility for the health and vitality of the residents. From swimming lessons to swimming laps and all kinds of aqua jogging”.

Medical aspect

Parents who have to go to Eindhoven or Best with their children for swimming lessons, for example, or elderly people and people with disabilities who can no longer stay in their own municipality to be physically active. Boek calls this ‘unacceptable’. “I hear it almost every day in my practice and in the swimming pool. In my opinion, the municipality cannot ignore the medical aspect”.

Van Santvoort and Boek speak of a ‘crooked situation’ if a tennis club or football club receives a subsidy and a swimming pool does not. Boek: “The argument is that they are ‘sponsoring’ a company, but the municipality sold it to Van Santvoort at the time. And the swimming pool is certainly not commercial”.

“All swimming pools in the region are supported by municipal subsidies”, Van Santvoort judges, “without this extra support we cannot stay open. We believe that the municipality should compare us with other sports clubs. We have a major social function and therefore also deserve financial support”.

Solar panels

According to Van Santvoort, asking users for more money is not a good idea. “Then it will be unaffordable for many people and you will completely miss the mark. If the municipality decides to stop providing subsidies, they will have gone completely mad! Then it will really be over and many people will be the victims”.

Boek still has an iron in the fire, but does not feel that the politicians in Son en Breugel will deviate from the intention to withdraw the financial support. “A number of experts have calculated that a lot of money could be saved with solar panels above the parking lot. However, this plan is not really taken seriously by the municipality. That’s how it seems…”

Meeting

A delegation from the municipal council will hold a consultation meeting today in the large hall of café De Zwaan in Son en Breugel. Residents and parties involved will have the opportunity to talk to council members. There will also be a few speakers. The meeting will start at 19:30.

Source: Studio040

Translated by: Bob

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