Outdoor pool season starts in Chemnitz on Saturday, 17 May in the Einsiedel and Bernsdorf outdoor pools

Outdoor pool season again in three stages - pre-season, main season and post-season:The 2014 outdoor pool season in Chemnitz's outdoor pools will again be offered in three stages - pre-season, main season and post-season. All information will also be published on www.chemnitz.de - here are the opening times for the Gablenz, Einsiedel, Bernsdorf and Wittgensdorf outdoor pools, bathers should also take note of the current notices in the facilities and the publications on the Internet at www.chemnitz.de/freibaeder

Pre-season from 17 May to 18 July, the municipal outdoor pools are open from 11 am to 7 pm, on hot summer days from 10 am.

Main season from 19 July to 31 August, the municipal outdoor pools are open from 10 am to 8 pm, on hot summer days from 9 am.

Off-season from 1 September to 7 September, the municipal outdoor pools are open from 11 am to 6 pm.

Start of the outdoor pool season on Saturday, 17 May in Einsiedel and Bernsdorf: The swimming pool department of the sports office has planned to open the outdoor pool season on Saturday, 17 May: The Einsiedel outdoor pool and the Bernsdorf outdoor pool will open first, followed a week later on Saturday 24 May by the outdoor pool in Wittgensdorf and the Gablenz outdoor pool (the plan here is to carry out structural repairs to the walk-through pools at the children's paddling pool before the opening). Eissport und Freizeit GmbH Chemnitz, operator of the reservoir in Rabenstein, will open the extensive area to visitors as usual from 1 May at 10 a.m. and, depending on the weather, is expected to remain open until October.

Opening hours: 10 am to 7 pm. Information online: www.stausee-rabenstein.de

The 2014 outdoor pool season will end at the Wittgensdorf and Einsiedel outdoor pools on 24 August and at the Bernsdorf outdoor pool on 31 August. For the post-season until 7 September, the Gablenz outdoor pool will then be open to bathers.

Opening and closing times for the indoor pools (Gablenz, "Am Südring" and Bernsdorf city pools and indoor swimming pools) - bathers should also check the current notices in the facilities and the publications on the City of Chemnitz website at www.chemnitz.de/hallenbaeder

City pool: City pool (50 m hall): closed until 5 October due to ongoing construction work. City pool (25 metre hall): Special opening hours until 27 June and from 21 July, closed from 28 June to 20 July. The sauna in the Stadtbad will be closed as planned from 7 July to 31 August.

SH Bernsdorf: open until 18 July and from 1 September, closed from 19 July to 31 August.

SH Gablenz: regularly open until 23 May and from 1 September; only open for schools, clubs and courses from 24 May to 4 July; closed from 5 July to 31 August.

SH "Am Südring": regularly open until 23 May and from 5 October; only open for schools, clubs and courses from 24 May to 4 July; closed from 5 July until probably 5 October.

Training times for swimming clubs: As in the previous year, training times will also be made available during the summer season in 2014 for swimming clubs that are specifically preparing for competitions. When planning the regular closing times of the indoor pools, it has therefore already been taken into account that an indoor pool can always be visited on summer days with rather moderate swimming weather in Chemnitz - up-to-date information on this can be found online at www.chemnitz.de/hallenbaeder.

Construction measures in indoor and outdoor swimming pools in 2014: While the necessary work in Chemnitz's four outdoor pools is regularly carried out in spring as part of the pre-season preparations, the indoor pools - depending on the scope of the planned measures - are essentially only available during the school holidays in summer. Selected construction measures are also planned for the city of Chemnitz's indoor and outdoor pools in 2014, in particular at the municipal swimming pool and the "Am Südring" indoor swimming pool:

The 50-metre hall in the municipal swimming pool will not be available until probably the end of the first week of October due to the work on the ventilation technology that began at the start of January 2014, which will include the air distribution systems taking into account preventative structural fire protection to ensure hygienic requirements and existing fire safety regulations.

Extensive measures necessary for the safe operation of the "Am Südring" indoor swimming pool are on the Sports Office's schedule: The glass façade of the hall urgently needs to be renewed. The planning for the necessary work has already been finalised and the funds for renewing the glass façade have been allocated in the 2014 budget. Irrespective of the necessary construction work, the facility can continue to be operated and used until the start of construction, according to the engineering office involved in the assessment. In addition, it is planned to completely renew the water heating system and the heat distribution station at "Am Südring" in 2014.

Overall, it is estimated that it will take several months to realise the measures at the "Am Südring" SH - from the tender to completion. Nevertheless, according to the sports office, the aim is to complete the majority of the construction work by the start of the school year so that the swimming pool can be reopened for school swimming as soon as possible after the start of the school year. Note for the media: A press release will be issued shortly after the start of construction.

Measures are also required at the Gablenz indoor swimming pool in 2014, with plans for the necessary renewal of the ventilation system and fire safety upgrades to be pushed ahead. In addition, the water and wastewater technology is to be structurally modified in line with current requirements. The sports office, with the support of the urban planning office, has already applied for urban development funding for this purpose - however, a final commitment from the funding organisation has not yet been received

and therefore no statements on construction activities can be made at this time. The scheduled maintenance and construction work is currently planned and scheduled for the regular closing time of the property.