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🇸🇪 Sweden /Economy & Trade

Kiruna's Record-Expensive Pool Faces Partial Closure Due to Staff Shortages

From Svenska Dagbladet · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Kiruna's new swimming facility, Midnattssolsbadet, has exceeded its budget by over 1 billion SEK, costing more than 1.4 billion SEK.
  • The facility is experiencing staff shortages, forcing it to operate with reduced hours.
  • The cost overruns are attributed to issues with ventilation, roof reinforcement, and a lack of a fixed price agreement with contractors.

Kiruna's highly anticipated Midnattssolsbadet swimming facility faces significant operational challenges due to severe staff shortages, forcing reduced opening hours. The project, which ballooned to over 1.4 billion SEK from an initial plan of 360 million SEK, has drawn public ire.

The facility's construction was plagued by delays and unexpected problems, including issues with ventilation and the need for roof reinforcement. A key factor contributing to the massive cost overrun was the absence of a fixed-price contract with the construction companies.

"The staff are working themselves to death," stated Annica Markkala, the acting manager, highlighting the intense pressure on the existing workforce. This situation means that the record-breakingly expensive facility cannot operate at its full capacity, impacting the community's access to its new amenities.

The staff are working themselves to death.

— Annica MarkkalaThe acting manager of the Midnattssolsbadet swimming facility describes the intense pressure on the staff due to shortages.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Svenska Dagbladet in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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