Changes to public baths

Austerity measures: City of Vienna closes saunas

The Stadthallenbad swimming pool will be spared from the closure plans.(Bild: APA/HERBERT NEUBAUER)

All municipalities in the country are up to their necks in debt – Vienna too must make massive savings. This even affects the swimming pools. The Viennese must prepare themselves for changes to the saunas in particular. 

Let's start with some good news. While many municipalities are turning off the taps and closing local swimming pools in response to the budget crisis, this is not an option in Vienna.

Instead, the responsible city councilor, Jürgen Czernohorszky of the SPÖ, has made the following promise: "I rule out closing any swimming pools until the end of the legislative period." This means that the 38 locations are secure until 2030.

Nevertheless, savings must be made. The city council's target is to raise 2.3 million euros. But with the stipulation that "service, safety, and comfort must not suffer." Water and sauna fans will still feel the effects, however.

Changes from the summer season on May 2

• Change in opening hours: The city speaks of "minor adjustments" in the family pools. This applies to May and June. Previously, the rule was: open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. In future: from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., i.e. three hours later. It is said that usage at the earlier times is low. In July and August, everything will remain as before (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.).

• Saunas will remain closed: This will particularly upset fans of high temperatures. In fact, the group of people who enjoy a sauna in the municipal baths even in midsummer when the outside temperature is 35 degrees is too small to justify full operation. That is why savings are also being made here. This affects the Apostelbad, Einsiedlerbad, Hermannbad, and Penzinger Bad sauna locations. The closure will be extended at these addresses. Previously, the sweat baths were closed from July 8 to September 2 – in future, they will be closed from June 15 to September 13. The saunas in the Simmeringer Bad, Ottakringer Bad, Großfeldsiedlungsbad, and Donaustädter Bad combination pools will remain completely closed: where there were previously no closures, one will now apply from May 2 to September 13.
  However, the sauna areas in indoor pools (Amalienbad, Hütteldorfer Bad, Floridsdorfer Bad) and other combined pools (Brigittenauer Bad, Theresienbad) will remain open.

City Councilor for Swimming Pools Jürgen Czernohorszky (SPÖ)(Bild: Eva Manhart)

• Only one main entrance in summer: In the combined pools (see graphic below), it was previously customary for one person to be stationed at both the indoor and outdoor pool entrances to sell tickets. This is also coming to an end. The indoor pool ticket offices will no longer be staffed in summer – but it will still be possible to enter via the outdoor pool.

• This saves on personnel costs: thanks to these measures – from sauna closures to unstaffed ticket offices – the City of Vienna will need 25 fewer full-time equivalents and 50 fewer seasonal workers. These are staff who will no longer need to be employed in summer.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

"We are saving money by reorganizing structures and processes. Not by cutting back on safety, quality, or services," says Czernohorszky. Other cities are solving the energy problem by cooling the water by a few degrees. The city councilor: "We could have said: Buy wetsuits. But we're not doing that." 

New construction and upgrades "in progress"
No swimming pools will be closed! The City of Vienna is not only making a clear commitment to this, but is also continuing to work on renovation and new construction projects.

The "Krone" knows what is in the pipeline: "The construction of the new swimming hall at the Höpflerbad and the renovation of the roof at the Döblinger Bad have already started and will continue as planned," according to the city. "The renovation of the roof at the Kombibad Hietzing will follow at the end of April, and the comprehensive renovation of the Jörgerbad will take place in July. The adjacent outdoor pool will remain closed this year for this purpose."

The City of Vienna is investing a total of 115 million euros in the construction of five new swimming pools and around 30 upgrades to existing locations. These include, for example, the construction of water playgrounds, the expansion of barrier-free facilities, and the design of forecourt areas.

In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, City Councilor for Swimming Pools Jürgen Czernohorszky (SPÖ) also rejected any possible privatization debates in advance: "When we think about financial viability, that's exactly when we're sure not to make this mistake. "There was a time during the SPÖ-ÖVP coalition when the ÖVP called for the privatization of the swimming pools." According to Czernohorszky, that would only lead to one thing: higher costs!