Summer is fast approaching, which means more and more residents are flocking to the city’s public pools to cool off. If you’re looking forward to pool season, then we’ve got good news for you. Starting in June, public pools will no longer charge the RMB6 fee, reports Shine.
Previously, visitors had to purchase a swimming card each year to access the city’s public swimming pools. The RMB6 card was supposed to cover health inspections and insurance. However, it turns out that the card didn’t contain any photos and many places didn’t conduct health checks at all. This triggered confusion and concern among visitors.
Image via Pexels
“The swimming card will soon become a thing of the past,” confirmed Xu Bin, head of Shanghai Sports Bureau. “Instead, we are launching an online registration system starting from June 1.”
According to Xu, the biggest feature of the system is the “health commitment letter.” Civilians have to promise that they don’t have health problems like heart disease or skin conditions and sign the letter before they can complete the registration progress.
The online platform can be found through the official WeChat account of the Shanghai Sports Bureau (search ‘上海体育’ in your WeChat). Those who do not want to use the digital platform can still apply for a paper form and register at their local swimming pools.
Image via Yuzhou Hu/Urban Family
The new platform will be totally free and health insurance is no longer mandatory. Those who want to purchase insurance will have to pay RMB5. The highest insured amount will be raised from RMB300,000 to RMB500,000, reports JFDaily.
This summer, approximately 800 public swimming pools will open to the public and all of them have registered on the online management platform, where civilians can easily find nearby pools. Moreover, some of the pavilions like the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center have introduced real-time attendance observation systems so swimmers can avoid crowds and peak hours. More swimming pools will soon adapt this feature.
[Cover image via Pexels]
