Oberursel’s swimming pool is one of the most discussed topics in the town, after the Hessentag.

For many years, one of its problems had been that the pool was either open as an indoor pool (Hallenbad) or an outdoor one (Freibad), but as far as I know not as both at the same time.  This meant that if there was a bad summer, the ticket receipts could be severely affected.

Oberursel's old swimming pool building, closed since September 2008

But it was with the closure of the indoor pool in September 2008 that the real problems started.  After the collapse of the roof of a public ice rink in southern Germany, many towns commissioned studies of their public buildings to ensure that they did not suffer the same fate during the winter months, which appeared to be receiving more snow from year to year.

Oberursel’s roof was deemed too unsafe for public swimming, and the indoor pool has not been open since. [Read more…]