The Belgian company Swimwise has developed a prototype for a fully relocatable swimming hall, with a demonstration planned for Monday in Oelegem under the concept of a “temporary pool in the playground.”
Christophe Lecoque, the initiator, stated, “We can barely keep up with the demand from cities and municipalities.”
Belgium has faced a declining number of swimming pools and lifeguards for years, posing a challenge for schools to find suitable locations, making it difficult for children to learn to swim. The swimming sector has repeatedly sounded the alarm, yet the requested master plan to address this issue has seen little progress.
Swimwise aims to solve this problem with mobile swimming halls, allowing schools and municipalities to offer structured swimming lessons without significant investments or costly relocations. Lecoque noted, “We receive two requests a day, including from large cities like Bruges and Antwerp. The demand is overwhelming.”
The company plans to build several swimming halls this year, which take roughly twenty weeks to assemble. The pools are primarily produced in Flanders, with some parts made in the Netherlands. The future locations of the halls are not yet confirmed, but priority will be given to regions with few swimming facilities.
Despite the concept’s potential profitability, Lecoque urged the Flemish government to provide additional support, suggesting an extension of the existing Swimming Pool Decree. “A temporary swimming hall offers many municipalities a realistic alternative to traditional pool construction, which often costs millions and creates structural operational deficits,” he concluded.
