Green Party Proposal

“Children and Teens Should Have Free Access to Outdoor Pools”

A dip in cool water makes the summer heat easier to bear. If the Linz Greens have their way, this will be free for children and teens in the future.(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

This year’s extreme summer has Linz firmly in its grip—and is now set to have political consequences. Green Party City Councilmember Eva Schobesberger is putting a whole package of demands on the table. Among them are ideas modeled after French and German approaches, designed primarily to protect those for whom weeks of heat become a real problem. Some of these could certainly spark debate.

Green Party City Councilmember Eva Schobesberger wants to step up heat protection measures. The impetus for this initiative is this summer’s extreme temperatures. As of August 10, Linz had already recorded 40 heat days, ten “desert days,” and 29 “tropical nights.” One of her demands stands out in particular in light of the current debate over swimming facilities: children and teenagers should be allowed free access to Linz’s outdoor pools during summer vacation.

Cooling off regardless of financial means
The model for this is Augsburg, where such a program already exists. This would allow young people to cool off and spend their free time in a safe place, regardless of their parents’ financial situation. But Schobesberger also wants to reach out more specifically to people who are particularly vulnerable. Following the Paris model, older people, those living alone, or other vulnerable individuals should be able to voluntarily register with a municipal registry. In the event of extreme heat, they could be contacted or social services could check on them. Linz is set to launch a pilot program for this.

Reporting Vulnerable Individuals
“We’ll only succeed in this if we look out for one another and tackle the climate crisis with solidarity,” said Schobesberger. She’s also calling for additional help for the homeless: A “heat hotline” would allow people to report vulnerable individuals on the street and organize support. In addition, relevant facilities should be adequately cooled.