New protest for Son Swimming Pool subsidy

This isn’t the first time the swimming club has campaigned for a pool subsidy; last year, around forty activists stood in front of the town hall. This year, the protest is gaining extra momentum thanks to a petition with 700 signatures and a joint letter from all general practitioners in Son en Breugel, emphasising the need for the pool. 

Long waiting lists

“Swimming differs from all other sports because it lightly strains the muscles. That’s why it’s very good for seniors,” says Hanneke Boek. Boek is not only a general practitioner but also a spokesperson for the Splash swimming club. In both roles, she champions the preservation of the swimming pool. 

She does this for the elderly who can’t do without this form of exercise close to home, but also for the younger generation of Son en Breugel. Boek: “If all the children from Son en Breugel have to go to neighbouring villages for swimming lessons, the waiting lists there will be far too long.” Currently, all young people from Son en Breugel can still go to the Son Swimming Pool for their A, B, and C diplomas. If this facility disappears, it will cause problems: “Children will then start swimming lessons too late, I’m afraid of drowning,” warns Boek. 

Holy Grail

Boek isn’t the only GP committed to preserving the swimming pool. All the GPs in Son en Breugel have written a joint letter to the municipality in which they call the swimming pool a “holy grail.” “The swimming pool truly serves every resident: young and old; healthy and unhealthy; disabled and able-bodied,” the GPs add in their letter. 

The pool’s financial situation hasn’t yet led to its closure. This is thanks to the pool’s owner, Wim van Santvoort, who kept it running with his own contributions. He passed away two weeks ago at the age of 79. According to Boek, it doesn’t matter what Van Santvoort’s heirs decide to do with Son Swimming Pool. “If there’s a subsidy, there’s bound to be someone willing to take it over.”

Banners made

So, there will be a protest this coming Thursday evening. “We hope to have about 100 people there,” says Caroline van Hout, a member of Splash. The protest will take place from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, just before the council meeting. This will also give them time to present the petition to save the pool. 

“For over a year, the municipality has been saying they agree with us, yet they’re doing nothing,” Boek says. They hope to change that by taking action. “We’ve made banners and called on members, so we’re ready,” says Van Hout.