May 8, 2024 at 7:49 am
Column Council Talk
“Speaking is silver, listening is gold.” That has been the sentence that accompanies my WhatsApp status for years. I can already hear some people thinking: ‘Listen?! That doesn’t suit anyone in politics.’ In recent weeks, however, that phrase has taken on more meaning for me. Especially when deciding on the new swimming pool. Unfortunately, in recent weeks I have read a lot about the decision that was ultimately made. I have seen many opinions. Apparently we, including the CDA Sliedrecht, had not listened enough to the residents. When I look at the outcome of that evening, I don’t really understand it. I can have many opinions about that, but all kinds of opinions about spouting happen enough in Sliedrecht. Let me therefore simply explain why the CDA Sliedrecht decided what we ultimately decided.
The big question for us was: what kind of swimming pool should the new swimming pool be? We listened carefully. As CDA Sliedrecht, we have looked at those who (will) use the swimming pool: for swimming lessons, by associations, by the elderly, people with disabilities, young families and young people. Moreover, the current swimming pool has a loss of 8.5 tons per year. That is a lot of money. A sum of many interests that we listen carefully to and have carefully considered.
The CDA Sliedrecht (together with the VVD and SGP-ChristenUnie) has changed the proposal of the College of Mayor & Aldermen. The outcome is that the new pool will in any case consist of six competition courts, club room, grandstand, target group pool, catering facility, sunbathing area and play facilities (e.g. a slide). We attach great importance to these facilities. Current costs will also be almost halved. Of course we understand that people want to swim and lie on the sunbathing lawn during the warm summer months. That is why there will be a sliding roof or wall in the new swimming pool. So that everyone who wants to can swim and enjoy the sunbathing lawn. Fortunately, the new swimming pool will also be energy neutral, which is good for the climate.
The final decision about the swimming pool was not easy, but by listening carefully we arrived at a beautiful swimming pool that remains within reasonable limits in terms of costs, fits well with the (future) size of Sliedrecht, is sustainable, does justice to our associations and a nice place for the summer months.
Frank Dunsbergen
Group chairman CDA Sliedrecht
