Under the sunken location of the ring road lies a water cellar as large as an Olympic swimming pool. This collects all the clean rainwater that falls throughout the entire sunken location, over a distance of more than one kilometer. As soon as the ring road is put into use, in September, the water cellar will no longer be accessible to the public.
The water cellar is a lot larger than the open-air swimming pool De Papiermolen, confirms Dirk Bootstra of Combinatie Zuiderpoort. “It is about 30 by 40 meters in size. And because the pipes of Groningen Warmtestad run under the water cellar, the water is constantly at a pleasant temperature. The water is filtered and therefore super clean. I have even taken a dip there myself. That was wonderful!”
Swimming trunks, bathing suit or bikini
The water cellar is an ideal place for swimming, but there is one small problem. “Of course there are no changing rooms,” Bootstra explains. “That’s why we ask everyone to come in swimming trunks, bathing suit or bikini, so you can jump right in. And feel free to bring an inflatable lounger. For safety reasons, a swimming cap is of course mandatory.”
Would you also like to swim for an hour in a unique place? Then report on Easter Monday at 11 a.m. at the entrance at the corner of Verlengde Meeuwerderweg/HL Wichersstraat (see map). It will be an experience you will never forget!
