Mayor steps in: Outdoor swimming pool in Parsberg urgently needs help!

Mayor steps in: Outdoor swimming pool in Parsberg urgently needs help!

What's going on in Parsberg? A very special commitment is currently visible here! The Jura Mare outdoor pool is struggling with a serious shortage of staff, and in order to ensure that citizens can swim in August, Mayor Josef Bauer and managing director Stefan Schmidmeier have joined the pool supervision team. The mayor reported that they do this in their free time to prevent individual pools from being closed. This happens because the company has a high need for personnel that cannot currently be met. This is a desperate but admirable measure to ensure the safety of bathers - after all, pool supervision increases the feeling of safety for all swimmers.

Despite an intensive search for new employees, the efforts have so far been unsuccessful. The city of Parsberg recently cited a survey according to which 38 percent of indoor and outdoor swimming pools in Germany were not fully occupied as of May 1, 2025. Particularly alarming: In more than one in four bathrooms, over 10 percent of the positions were unfilled. This clearly shows that demand among citizens is high, while the supply of pools and lifeguards leaves a lot to be desired. And this isn't just a short-term problem - demographic change could actually exacerbate this trend, requiring a rethink in HR policy.

Volunteering

The two gentlemen, Bauer and Schmidmeier, are not only committed city representatives, but have also completed training as pool supervisors. They contribute their knowledge and skills to relieve staff and maintain operations. Visitors to the outdoor pool can therefore feel safe because pool supervision is ensured by experienced hands. In order to master all of this, the pool supervision exam includes various challenges, such as swimming 20 meters, diving down to 3-5 meters and cardiopulmonary resuscitation - you have to be fit!

But what about the long-term solutions? The mayor has already announced that the city is continuing to look for suitable employees and that career changers are also welcome. There have already been several interested parties who have been approached. This is encouraging and could be the first step in getting the outdoor pool back on track.

Swimming pool operations are changing

This situation is part of a larger problem that affects many swimming pools in Germany. A shortage of skilled workers not only impacts safety, but also the availability of swimming opportunities for citizens. If we take a look at the numbers: According to the survey mentioned, the shortage of staff has increased over the last few years and the pools are fighting for survival. The low number of applicants and the increasing demand are a real dilemma that affects people's leisure activities.

The chance of maintaining the pools and their quality depends on the commitment of the municipality and the commitment of citizens who are prepared to stand up for their swimming facilities. Perhaps Bauer and Schmidmeier's efforts will be an impetus for more volunteer work in the region - if people see that it really matters and is necessary, it could motivate others to get involved.

Let's stay tuned to see how the Jura Mare outdoor pool will develop in the next few weeks and whether we will be able to strengthen the team behind the pools. Especially in the hot season, swimming pools are a welcome way of cooling off for many people and an important place for education and leisure activities.

For more information and details about the situation in the outdoor pool, we recommend reading the articles on Mercury and LegalZoom to read.