Dutch and Belgian pools extend hours or limit entries amid heat wave

The municipal pool Blankershove in Oud Gastel, Netherlands, has imposed a strict visitor cap of 1,600 people and may close its entrance gates and kitchen when capacity is reached. Manager Nicky Lankhuijzen says the measures protect safety, especially on busy days when staffing levels are lower.

In Belgium, swimming‑pool operator LAGO is lengthening opening hours at several locations in response to an expected heat wave. At the Brugge sports pool, doors open at 9 a.m. and remain open until 9 p.m., partly to accommodate ultra‑athlete Matthieu Bonne’s 19‑hour‑per‑day world‑record swim attempt. Other LAGO sites are also offering earlier openings and later closings to give residents more opportunity to cool off.