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Drelsdorf outdoor pool: Swimming despite the end of the season – a village is pitching in!
Drelsdorf is celebrating the reopening of its outdoor swimming pool on November 2nd, 2025 after extensive renovation and volunteer work.
Drelsdorf outdoor pool: Swimming despite the end of the season – a village is pitching in!
In the tranquil Drelsdorf, a small town in the North Friesland district, the village community brought the dilapidated outdoor swimming pool back to life with a lot of commitment and passion. Despite the outdoor pool season in Schleswig-Holstein having already ended, there is a reason for the residents to celebrate: On November 2nd, 2025, a special bathing event will take place in the new outdoor pool. This is also the last date on which the swimming pool must open this year in order to meet the formal requirements for funding of around 106,000 euros needed for the renovation, as [NDR] reports.
After about two years of closure, Drelsdorf took the initiative and invested a remarkable 2,400 voluntary hours of work in the modernization. Mayor Tim Friedrichsen emphasizes how important the voluntary work of the villagers is, which has already saved around 200,000 euros. This sum is part of the total costs for the replacement of the swimming pool, which amount to around 1.4 million euros. In addition to the people of Drelsdorf, the neighboring villages of Bohmstedt and Ahrenshöft also contributed 300,000 euros and 90,000 euros to the financing, as [KN online] further explains.
Background and challenges
The idea of building a new swimming pool arose out of necessity, as the old outdoor pool was dilapidated and therefore fell victim to the wrecking ball. The situation of urban swimming pools has been stressful for years. Many facilities are in dire need of renovation or, like the Drelsdorf outdoor pool, have already been closed. According to [State Gazette], only around 16 percent of swimming pools in Germany have been renovated, and there are massive challenges with rising construction costs and dwindling funding opportunities.
The DLRG has long been calling for functioning swimming pools close to home, especially to ensure swimming lessons for children. In Schleswig-Holstein, only 48 percent of primary school students were able to swim safely in 2022, casting alarming spotlights on the need for swimming opportunities.
A look into the future
A big opening party is planned for the Drelsdorf swimming pool in summer 2026. By then, the swimming pool should stabilize its operations and get residents used to the new offering. A joint project that shows how volunteer work and solidarity support can create new living spaces even in challenging times. With this project, the village community in Drelsdorf has not only improved its own infrastructure, but also sent a strong signal for cohesion and initiative.
It remains to be hoped that the challenges that are emerging for many swimming pools in Germany will find creative and collaborative solutions not only in Drelsdorf, but everywhere. Because one thing is certain: swimming can save lives and is part of a healthy childhood.
For further information and background information on the challenges and funding for swimming pools in Schleswig-Holstein, see [NDR], [KN online] and [Staatsanzeiger].