The district board of Amsterdam West wants to keep two threatened paddling pools open. The pools lack mandatory water purification systems, and the municipality’s newly presented budget does not include enough money to modernise them.
District administrator Daniëlle de Jager confirmed the effort during a committee meeting after the Volt party requested clarification. Volt argued that the pools provide essential, low-threshold cooling for families without gardens, especially as the climate warms.
Alternative plans for small sites
The affected locations are the wading pond in Westerpark and a mini pool on J.J. Cremerplein.
The Cremerplein site is so small that installing a water treatment unit is disproportionately expensive.
The district is considering alternatives for Cremerplein, including replacing the pool with an interactive ground fountain similar to the one on Haarlemmerplein.
Funding challenges in Westerpark
Upgrading the larger Westerpark paddling pond presents a much bigger project. The children’s pool is connected to a larger pond and reservoir, with water recycled for park greenery, and requires an integrated filtration setup.
De Jager described the Westerpark upgrade as a city-level responsibility and said she will push for central funding to meet new legal standards, rejecting suggestions that the district pay for it alone.
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