Mechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mechelen will manage De Nekkerpool and outdoor sports from 2027, transferring 12 staff. Alderman Labsir and Provincial Member Colson cite better access for clubs, KV Mechelen, and De Kangoeroes.
As VRT News reported, the city of Mechelen will take over management of De Nekker swimming pool, starting in 2027. All 12 permanent staff members at the pool will move to city employment.
“We have been able to resolve three very major issues today,”
said Mechelen Alderman for Sports Abdrahman Labsir (For Mechelen) about the agreement with the province of Antwerp.
What is Mechelen doing to solve space issues for KV Mechelen and De Kangoeroes?
Alderman Labsir said the change will give more opportunities to swimming clubs in Mechelen. Clubs will have better access to training times and can expand their programs. Schools that use the pool for lessons can continue as before.
According to Alderman Labsir,
“Because the city will once again be the director of the pool. We will also explore the possibility of expansion, as there is another plot of land next to the pool.”
The plan also helps De Kangoeroes, the professional basketball club, which has faced space problems in the Winketkaai Sports Hall. The team will be able to train and play matches in a larger sports hall at the city’s recreation area.
“The sports hall meets all the national and European requirements to compete at the top,”
Labsir explains.
The hall will stay under provincial management. The city and province are working to find solutions for clubs currently using the halls. Some clubs can stay in their locations, while others may move to Winketkaai. Officials said the plan will improve sports facilities for all clubs.
The city of Mechelen will take over the outdoor sports facilities at De Nekker. This includes 4 grass fields, an artificial turf field, a hockey pitch, and an athletics track. The city plans to paint the fields red and yellow in the future.
“KV Mechelen was severely lacking in training grounds. This is good news for them, as KV’s youth development, special needs teams, and women’s teams will be moving to the Nekker fields,”
says Labsir.
The rest of the estate and its activities will stay under provincial management. These include the playground, swimming pond, indoor playground, water sports and event areas, sports days, theme camps, the catering business, and the Nekkerverblijf accommodation centre.
Provincial Executive Member Mireille Colson (N-VA) says,
“Since the internal state reform of 2018, sports are no longer among the province’s core responsibilities.”
Provincial Executive Member Mireille Colson (N-VA) said the transfer of the swimming pool and outdoor infrastructure to the city is a logical move. She added that sport is no longer a provincial task. The costs of running the swimming pool and maintaining the sports fields and grandstand are becoming very high.
“In these tight budget times, these expenses are no longer justifiable,”
Colson said.
De Nekker in Mechelen is a large sports and recreation area that has served the community for decades. The site combines forests, water areas, sports fields and recreation facilities. In the late 2000s, officials decided to expand the complex to address a regional shortage of indoor swimming pools, especially for schools.
A call to design a modern swimming facility was launched in 2008, and construction of the new Nekkerpool began in May 2011. The pool opened on 7 January 2013 and has 3 sections: a competition pool, a pool for schools and target groups, and a recreational pool for families and visitors.