Call for Immediate Reopening of Facilities
The Junts per Barcelona municipal group has formally requested that Mayor Jaume Collboni reopen the city’s 15 outdoor municipal swimming pools and the Llac del Parc de la Creueta del Coll during weekends in September. Despite the official closure of these facilities last weekend, Barcelona continues to face prolonged heat waves, prompting Junts to call for their use as climate shelters. According to information from the Barcelona City Council, the 15 open-air pools, located across eight districts including Montjuïc, Can Caralleu and Ciutadella, opened progressively from May through June and were scheduled to remain operational until September. The reopening of the Municipal Tennis Courts pool in Montjuïc was a key feature of the 2026 summer season, with no restrictions due to drought.
We cannot ignore how access to large-scale culture is becoming a privilege,
Jordi Martí Galbis, leader of Junts in Barcelona City Council, led the initiative, arguing that these spaces offer essential thermal comfort, particularly for vulnerable groups, children and the elderly. He stressed that shaded areas and accessible water points make them vital public resources amid increasingly extended summers under climate change.
Proposal for Extended Calendar and Financial Support
Junts has submitted a detailed plan calling for financial compensation to facility managers to enable weekend operations in September. The proposal aims not only at addressing immediate weather conditions but also establishing a permanent shift in municipal planning. Starting in 2027, the group proposes that the outdoor swimming season begin on the last weekend of May and run uninterrupted until the end of September. Under the scheme, facilities would operate daily during school holidays and on weekends before and after the academic break. The demand aligns with broader concerns about urban resilience and social equity during extreme heat, especially as residents face rising costs and limited relief options. While education policy falls under the regional government (Generalitat), Junts asserts that protecting families remains a shared responsibility, including at the municipal level. Residents can monitor updates on pool schedules via the Barcelona City Council's official portal.
Primary sources: Barcelona City Council, ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, Metrópoli, La Vanguardia, beteve.cat, La Vanguardia Barcelona, elmercurio.cat, barcelonaurbana.com, barcelonasecreta.com, totbarcelona.cat, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.
