Mechelen (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): De Nekker recreation area in Mechelen corrected its earlier claim of being sold out stating 3,500 spots are available, with 1,000 still open. Meanwhile Keerdok swimming area extended hours due to high demand but many tickets are sold out.
With temperatures expected to hit 35 degrees the De Nekker recreation area in Mechelen thought a lot of people would visit and said that all tickets for Monday were sold out. This made people eager to get a ticket. However it turned out that this information was not true. De Nekker quickly fixed the wrong information and said that there are actually 3,500 spots available with about 1,000 still open for booking. They removed the message about being sold out and shared the correct details so visitors could plan their trips better.
Will extended hours at Keerdok meet the demand for swimming in Mechelen?
It has been said that because of the warm weather expected the Keerdok swimming area in the Mechelen city center will stay open longer on Monday to welcome more visitors. This change is meant to give people more chances to enjoy swimming and cool off. However, because many people want to take advantage of the extended hours most tickets have sold out in advance. They said that this high demand shows how eager the community is to enjoy the warm weather by the water. Even with many tickets sold some might still be available so those interested should check for any open spots before going.
According to resources for anyone wanting to cool off this summer there are still tickets available at some swimming spots in the province of Antwerp. As of Monday morning people can buy tickets for popular places like Zilvermeer and the Den Uyt pool in Mol. Other options include De Mosten in Hoogstraten and the De Lilse Bergen recreation area which also have tickets for sale. They mentioned that these other options offer great chances for water fun and relaxation especially for those who couldn’t get tickets for the busier places. By choosing these less crowded spots visitors can still have a refreshing day out without dealing with long lines and full capacities like at other swimming areas.
Police in some areas are reminding people that swimming in canals or waterways is usually not allowed unless it says so. Even though it might look nice to swim in open water when it’s hot it’s still against the rules. Dirk Van de Sande from the Rivierenland police says there can be strong currents and there are no lifeguards to help. In busy places like the Leuvense Vaart boats go by which makes it even more dangerous. The Rivierenland police will also be watching areas where swimming is not allowed but where people still try to swim like the Hazewinkel estate or the canal.
