IN PICTURES – Visit to the future El Hogar aquatic center in Anglet

“This new aquatic center is eagerly awaited both by the inhabitants of Anglet but also by the students of the city's schools and sports clubs.“, welcomes Mayor Claude Olive. The brand new structure is entering its last year of work before opening at the end of summer 2025. The basins are still empty but will be able to accommodate up to 180,000 passages each year. A source of pride for the municipality, but also a cost of nearly 26 million euros, of which only 6 million came from subsidies.

Three pools and a paddling pool

As planned, the body of water will extend to 800m2, which triples the surface area of ​​the current swimming pool. During the exclusive visit to the current site, the interior pools are currently being waterproofed and the walls are being insulated. However, the immensity of the “sports hall” is already revealed. First a reception where swimmers will take their tickets and which overlooks concrete stands with 200 seats with a view of the sports pool (380m2 and six water lines), the learning pool (180m2) and even the pool “Nordic” exterior of 250 m2.

The swimmer follows the following route: upon arrival he will take his ticket and go down the stairs to reach the changing rooms. It should be noted that the swimming pool is intended to be inclusive and has access for people with reduced mobility thanks to an elevator. The changing rooms are through, leading to individual lockers then to this famous “sports hall”. When leaving the water you will have to go the opposite way and reach the very end of the route a “beauty area” with mirrors and hairdryers.

Encourage learning to swim

The schoolchildren will enter the building through another entrance on the ground floor and will change in collective changing rooms allowing up to 12 classes to be accommodated simultaneously. A capacity that will promote learning to swim from kindergarten to high school. Primary school pupils currently only benefit from 46 swimming sessions, they will be entitled to 115 sessions from the start of the 2025 school year.

The children encountered at the entrance to the old swimming pool are looking forward to the opening of this new aquatic center, in particular “because in summer it will be nice to be able to swim outdoors“. We'll have to wait a little longer… Until September 2025.