City CDU advocates for urban river swimming in Hamburg
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Hamburg is looking into creative solutions for river bathing, despite the hurdles posed by water quality, tidal flows, port traffic, and the Elbe and Alster rivers' status as federal waterways. Local CDU politicians are advocating for the creation of a river swimming pool or designated bathing areas with filtration, safety systems, and architectural designs similar to successful public bathing spots in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Malmö.
These Scandinavian cities have managed to establish public bathing spots along urban waterways by implementing filtration systems to improve water quality, safety concepts addressing port traffic and tidal flows, and innovative architectural solutions that make bathing safe and accessible even in urban river environments.
In Hamburg, potential river swimming facilities would need to incorporate similar measures. Controlled swimming zones with filtration or natural water cleaning, safety measures addressing river traffic and variable water levels, and possibly constructing a dedicated river swimming pool adjacent to or within the river system to safely separate swimmers from navigational hazards are some of the proposed solutions.
This approach contrasts with current norms in German water bodies, where regulations can restrict river use for sports such as stand-up paddling due to safety, ecological impact, and water level considerations.
The Hamburg Senate, however, remains cautious due to these environmental and navigational difficulties. The Senate's concerns about the water quality and safety for a river bath in Hamburg have been highlighted.
Anke Frieling, urban development spokeswoman for the CDU faction, has been vocal about her belief that Hamburg is wasting its potential by not pursuing river baths. She criticizes the Senate for ignoring the fact that challenges related to financing, safety, hygiene, and water quality have been addressed in other cities. Frieling believes Hamburg needs creative solutions for more water access.
The suitability of the waters for swimming is currently being tested within a parliamentary request titled "Urban development by the water - new perspectives for Hamburg's waterways." The CDU in the Hamburg Parliament is advocating for a river bath in the Alster or Elbe, pushing for more aggressive action towards implementing river baths in Hamburg.
[1] [Source for German water body regulations] [2] [Source for Scandinavian city examples]
- ["The possibility of creating outdoor living spaces, such as river swimming pools or designated bathing areas, in Hamburg's home-and-garden landscape is gaining traction, inspired by successful examples from cities like Copenhagen, Oslo, and Malmö in policy-and-legislation associated with general-news,"]
- ["As Hamburg explores inventive solutions for river bathing, it's essential to consider implementations of filtration systems to enhance water quality, safety measures addressing port traffic and tidal flows, and aesthetically pleasing architecture designs to ensure seamless integration with the city's outdoor-living culture,"]
- ["The ongoing debate about river bathing in Hamburg showcases a contrast in policies; while German water bodies often have strict regulations due to safety, ecological impact, and water level considerations, the CDU in the Hamburg Parliament argues for more innovative approaches to promote water access, reflecting current discussions in lifestyle and politics."]
