A 69-year-old retiree defied red tape by opening a private pool to the public, igniting safety concerns and local outrage.
At a Glance
- Achim Gall spent €250,000 to build a public open-air pool next to his home.
- He financed the project by selling two flats and securing a bank loan.
- The pool opened this summer after six years of planning and construction.
- Tickets cost €3.50, undercutting the municipal rate of €5 at the town facility.
- Local officials say no private initiative of this scale has appeared in Uhingen’s 750-year history.
A Retirement Dream Turned Reality
According to the Times report, Achim Gall invested €250,000—funded by selling two flats and taking out a bank loan—to build a community-open pool next to his Uhingen home.
He spent four years securing design approvals and two more on hands-on construction, using an excavator and angle-grinder to install changing rooms, showers, diving boards, and swings.
Watch a report: Pensioner’s Public Pool.
https://www.thetimes.com/video/pensioner-public-pool
To streamline future inspections, Gall plans to submit formal structural and water-quality tests to the Uhingen town council, hoping to legitimize his DIY amenity amid rising ticket demand.
Community Divides Over DIY Pool
Residents are split between admiration and alarm: one neighbor praised Gall’s “brilliant dedication,” while others warn the unlicensed facility bypassed mandatory safety inspections and zoning rules.
Mayor Matthias Wittlinger described the project as “bizarre but praiseworthy,” noting no comparable private pool has ever operated in the town’s seven-and-a-half-century history, as detailed on Uhingen’s Wikipedia page.
Safety and Regulatory Fallout
Critics insist any public-access pool requires official permits, certified lifeguards, and regular water-quality testing—protocols Gall sidestepped to avoid lengthy approvals.
Germany’s leading water-rescue body warns that unsupervised pools can triple drowning risks without certified life-safety measures; Gall’s facility currently operates without DLRG-mandated checks (DLRG guidelines).
The town council is now weighing retroactive inspections and potential fines, while Gall has pledged to pursue formal approvals if ticket sales continue to climb.
