Overview
- City officials confirmed on Wednesday that the former interim courtroom at Jerichower Platz has been fitted with a 50×25 metre Olympic-size pool and surrounding training, recovery and office spaces.
- Water is scheduled to be filled this week with help from the local fire brigade, a short trial operation is due to start mid-next week, and regular elite training is planned to begin by mid-December.
- The conversion is a time-limited project costing about €4 million with €700,000 from the state and €300,000 from Lotto-Toto; the budget includes roughly €400,000 a year in operating costs and the facility is intended to remain until about June 2028.
- Victims of the Christmas-market attack have protested the reuse and launched petitions calling the plan disrespectful, while the mayor and sports officials argue it will free capacity in other public pools for citizens and smaller clubs.
- The interim solution supports SC Magdeburg and national swimmers preparing for Los Angeles 2028 and will be replaced by a planned national swimming centre expected after 2028, which officials say will be a longer-term fix.