Ixelles swimming pool to reopen in December

Work on Ixelles swimming pool – a 1904-built gem and the oldest in the Brussels region – is now almost complete, with the pool finally expected to reopen before the end of the year.

Closed in September 2019, the scheduled renovation time was a very optimistic 30 months. With the Covid pandemic and various other obstacles, restoration and renovation has taken at least twice as long.

“The pool was originally intended for the working class,” said Mouad Doumer, who is overseeing the works. Indeed, the baths are located in the inner part of the block behind a small facade, and in an area of small terraced houses, flats and social housing, a far cry from the luxurious mansions aligning the lakes of Ixelles nearby.

“It’s only when you get inside that you discover what a majestic place it is,” Doumer added. “In the middle, the pool is surrounded by large cast-iron columns and changing cubicles. A large glass roof illuminates the entire area. Since its construction, the building had lost some of the elements that made it so charming.”

Notably, the pool’s original ceramic tiles had been replaced by a grey rubber liner. What made this project special is that it will reflect Ixelles swimming pool as it was when it was first created.

“We based the work on a 1940 photo to recreate everything exactly as it was,” Doumer said. “We redid the cabins which had disappeared.”

And because the building is listed, there was no question of “doing just anything”, he added. Even the concrete that makes up the basin’s tank is partly listed. It is a reinforced concrete from the period that had to be restored rather than replaced. The little blue ceramic tiles are identical to the originals as well.

Despite all these heritage constraints, the building has been brought up to standard in terms of safety and environmental requirements. Access for visitors with reduced mobility and the disabled has also been provided, as well as a large changing room for schools.

For now, Ixelles commune is simply waiting for the contractors to leave before opening the pool to the public. Although no precise date has yet been set, the pool should welcome its first swimmers by December.

On its website, Ixelles announces that the pool "will soon be filled with water", adding: "Over the next few weeks, the filters and water quality circuits will be tested.

“These high-tech elements are new. It is important to take the time to make sure they are working optimally, no matter how impatient we are and how much we want to swim.

“The aim of the work is to ensure better circulation for groups of children (schools etc), facilitate access for people with reduced mobility, meet the needs of sports clubs and modernise the technical facilities.

“The pool will meet current hygiene standards without changing the 'old-style' operation of the individual cabins around the pool.”

As it stands, the size of the pool will not change. It measures 29.20 metres long by 14.40 metres wide and 3.25 metres deep. The ambient (room) temperature is 29°C, while the water is heated to 27°C, about average or a bit lower than the temperature of most Brussels swimming baths.

The pool will be open from 7.00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 7.30 on Tuesday and Thursday and from 9.30 at weekends.

The pool will have one late opening until 21.00 on Friday. It will close at 18.00 from Monday to Thursday and at 17.30 during the weekend.

Prices are yet to be confirmed, but before its closure, it was the cheapest swimming pool in Brussels.

Photo: Beliris