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‘Swimming pools are always so packed’: What you think of Copenhagen’s sports facilities

We asked our readers in Denmark for their thoughts on the public sports facilities in Copenhagen.

‘Swimming pools are always so packed’: What you think of Copenhagen’s sports facilities
A runner recovers on the track at Copenhagen's Østerbro Stadium. File photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

The Danish government on Wednesday proposed major spending on new public sports facilities in the Copenhagen area.

The Greater Copenhagen region does not have enough sports halls, football pitches or swimming pools relative to its number of residents, according to the government, which wants to allow local authorities to build new facilities.

In a new plan for city development presented on Wednesday, the government proposed giving the Copenhagen and Frederiksberg municipalities one billion kroner to invest on public sports facilities between 2022 and 2030.

READ ALSO: Copenhagen offered major investment in public sports facilities

We asked our readers whether you feel the capital lacks public sports facilities and how it compares with other cities or places you have lived. Thank you to all who got in touch.

Our responses were striking in that 100 percent of those who filled in our survey answered ‘yes’ to the question “Do you think Copenhagen has enough public sports facilities (such as sports halls, swimming pools and football pitches)?”

A range of different types of facility are somewhat lacking in the city, according to the readers who contacted us.

“More basketball and badminton courts would be good,” said Antony, a reader who is originally from India.

A better range of facilities would be a positive thing because “it allows more spontaneous use of facilities without having to book many days in advance – making it easier to have an active lifestyle,” he said.

“It will also have positive effects on health levels and thereby reduce healthcare costs in the long term,” Antony added.

Compared to Australian city Melbourne, Copenhagen is lagging behind in terms of sports facilities, according to Martin Montes, who has lived in both conurbations.

Montes said the Danish capital would benefit from “more AstroTurf pitches to play outdoor during the winter, as well as more flat park space to play casual grass sports.”

“Also, dedicated halls where casual and amateur-elite competitions can be played regularly and are not necessarily bound to clubs,” he suggested. Clubs and associations are often a gateway to amateur sport in Denmark, a country with a strong cultural tradition for associations.

Another reader who contacted us, Gregory, said Copenhagen could do with more swimming pools as well as green areas for exercising. He was not the only one who cited swimming facilities as an area which could be improved.

“Copenhagen swimming pools are always so packed compare to other places and (have a) long waiting list,” wrote Bellins.

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TRANSPORT

Copenhagen Metro lines reopen after two-week closure

Lines M3 and M4 of the Copenhagen Metro are back in service having reopened on Sunday, one day ahead of schedule.

Copenhagen Metro lines reopen after two-week closure

The two lines had been closed so that the Metro can run test operations before opening five new stations on the M4 line this summer.

The tests, which began on February 10th, are now done and the lines were running again as of Sunday evening, a day ahead of the original planned reopening on Monday February 26th.

“We are very pleased to be able to welcome our passengers on to our two lines M3 and M4,” head of operations with the Metro Søren Boysen said.

“The whole test procedure exceeded all expectations and went faster than expected and we can therefore get a head start on our reopening now,” he said.

Time set aside for potential repeat tests was not needed in the event, allowing the test closures to be completed ahead of time.

“Several of our many tests went better than expected and we have therefore not used all the time we needed for extra tests,” Boysen said.

The two lines serve around one million passengers every week, according to the Metro company.

READ ALSO: Copenhagen city government greenlights extension to Metro line

The new stops on the M4 line will be located south of central Copenhagen in the Valby and Sydhavn areas. The will have the names Haveholmen, Enghave Brygge, Sluseholmen, Mozarts Plads and København Syd (Copenhagen South).

The M3 and M4 lines, the newer sections of the Metro, opened in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

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