Ostend (Brussels Morning Newspaper): The Brigitte Becue swimming pool in Ostend reopened its outdoor area after a 3.5-year delay due to safety concerns from golf balls. Farys, the city, and the golf course shared costs.
The Brigitte Becue swimming pool opened in April 2021 and had to close its outdoor area due to safety concerns. Golf balls from the nearby Wellington Golf Club occasionally landed in the pool’s outdoor space, posing a risk to visitors and even breaking a window. As a result, the operator, Farys, decided to shut down the outdoor facilities to ensure safety.
How did the Brigitte Becue pool in Ostend overcome Golf Ball Hazards?
A new net has been set up around the outdoor area of the Brigitte Becue swimming pool to keep golf balls from the nearby Wellington Golf Club away from people. The net is designed with small holes so that no balls can get through, making the area safe again. It took 3.5 years to set this up because the pool and golf course operators disagreed in court about who should pay for the net.
Farys, the city, and the golf course operator couldn’t agree on who was to blame for the problem. They believe they will find a solution where both sides pay half the costs, so they set up the new net. The outdoor area is now open again just in time for the school holidays. They saw fewer visitors before because people were going to places like Bruges, but now with showers and jacuzzis available, they hope to attract more visitors.
