Palma opens s’Aigua Dolça: New sports centre opens on October 15

Palma opens s’Aigua Dolça: New sports centre opens on October 15

Swimming, senior fitness and Nordic walking first – further offerings will follow step by step

On October 15, a long-awaited new meeting place for athletes, families and older residents will open in Palma: the municipal centre s’Aigua Dolça, located above the Paseo Marítimo behind the Hotel Meliá Palma Marina. In the first phase, water activities are the main focus: holders of an IME card as well as visitors with single-entry tickets can use the pool.

The main pool measures 25 metres and has six lanes; there is also a smaller children's pool and a 182-square-metre sun terrace that on good-weather days quickly becomes an informal neighbourhood meeting point. Initially the centre will be open to the public Monday to Friday from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm – ideal times for working people who want to swim after work.

Alongside the swimming activities, a movement programme for older people will start, organised in cooperation with the Santa Catalina health centre. Sessions run on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:30 am. In addition, accompanied Nordic walking sessions are planned from mid-October; the first two meetings are scheduled for October 15 and 23 at 6 pm, with several more dates to follow until the end of the year.

That s’Aigua Dolça is not just an indoor pool is shown by the expansion plan: in later phases opening hours will be extended, swimming courses for people aged 15 and over will be offered and further sports activities will be added to complement the municipal facilities Son Hugo, Son Moix, Germans Escalas and S’Estel. The third expansion stage foresees the opening of two fitness rooms reserved for the municipal sports association. In total there are five sports rooms – two fitness areas, three studio rooms – as well as a multipurpose room and ten changing rooms of various sizes.

The project's history has been marked by delays: original completion dates were postponed, additional European funds of around two million euros were secured, and the plans were adjusted several times. The now published project summary shows a total investment of €10,285,860, an amount that has gone into the new infrastructure and upgrading to modern standards.

For people in the neighbourhood below Bellver Castle the new facility means more than just another pool. In the mornings you can hear joggers rushing past the bollards on the Paseo Marítimo, dogs and their owners sniff around the corners, and in the evenings neighbours' voices mingle with the shimmer of the harbour. s’Aigua Dolça fits into this picture and creates spaces for exercise, meeting and exchange – whether for an aqua fitness class, a Nordic walking group or simply a chat on the terrace.

Why is this good for Palma? Because public sports facilities strengthen everyday life and health at neighbourhood level, because they create places where generations meet, and because the new centre will relieve pressure on existing centres. Those looking for a quieter alternative to the bustle of the beach or wanting to actively include older relatives will find offers here that can be used with little effort.

My advice to anyone who is curious: mark your calendar, try the first Nordic walking sessions and check whether the IME card is right for you. The facility will be adapted to the needs of the city in stages; those who get involved early will help shape it.

On the opening evening you will hear the first splashes and the rustle of swim caps. And maybe you'll already see the first groups on the terrace arranging courses, times and joint walks. A small step for the city map, a tangible gain for the everyday lives of many people in Palma.