Before the start of construction, the city of Liège set itself the goal of offering all residents a high-quality public school, sports and leisure swimming pool. For this purpose, the municipality acquired a plot of 3,300 m² in the Jonfosse district, where the Jonfosse Swimming Pool opened its doors in 2020.
Accessible to everyone
The pool is open to everyone and offers swimming lessons at all levels, contributing to the goal of teaching all children to swim before they leave primary school. Swimming is also an important form of physical exercise for other ages, which the city wants to stimulate. The temperatures are pleasant with 26-28 °C for adults and 28-30 °C for the little ones.
The complex consists of a large 375 m² sports pool with 6 lanes, a 150 m² teaching and leisure pool, 100 seats, a play and relaxation lagoon and an elevated relaxation area. The cafeteria overlooks the pool and seats about 50 people. A public parking garage in the building provides ample parking space, also for the rest of the neighborhood.
Smart design
From an architectural point of view, Swimming Pool Jonfosse is an urban project with rectangular shapes throughout. The design provides plenty of natural light, blends in harmoniously with existing buildings and guarantees the privacy of bathers. The construction was carried out by a consortium of Belgian companies and architectural firms and was worth 15.5 million euros.
Sustainability also played an important role in the design. The use of renewable energy sources and combined heat and power saves energy and a rainwater recovery system reduces water consumption.
To optimize the acoustics, 2,000 m² of acoustic ceiling panels were used. The Rockfon Screenline ceiling islands, which are placed above the baths with a special corrosion-resistant suspension system, prevent annoying reverberation in the high room and contribute to light reflection. The changing rooms are equipped with Rockfon® Hydroclean™ ceiling panels, which, thanks to their water-repellent and specially treated surface, are ideal for damp rooms and can be easily cleaned.
From the community, for the community
What is special is the fact that the swimming pool also offers public sanitary facilities for residents who do not have access to them at home. This is based on the example of Georges Truffaut, who took the same initiative in 1942 when the social necessity for this was high. For a small fee, the local population can now use it again, after the facilities closed their doors in 2002.
The swimming pool itself also has a reduced rate for residents from Liège on the already low entrance fees, in order to make a visit accessible to everyone.
The new construction project of Swimming Pool Jonfosse is part of a plan by the Walloon government to build or renovate 50 swimming pools in 5 years and thereby further expand the local sports infrastructure."
