Children Seek Relief from Heat in Fes' Waterways
As the heatwave sweeps through the city of Fes, with temperatures soaring above 43 degrees Celsius, a growing number of children and youth are flocking to any available water source to escape the sweltering summer heat. The local rivers and public fountains have become popular destinations, illustrating the urgent need for recreational spaces that provide safe alternatives for cooling off. This trend has been captured by Le360’s camera, which documented dozens of children swimming in the Ain Chkaf River, a location now frequented by families from various neighborhoods seeking refuge from the relentless sun. The situation starkly highlights the lack of adequate recreational facilities for children and youth in the city, turning the quest for moments of refreshment into a risky endeavor.
A concerned citizen pointed out that this phenomenon recurs every summer as temperatures rise, noting that many of the children frequenting the rivers come from low-income families who cannot afford entry to private swimming pools. With public swimming facilities still closed, these children are compelled to take life-threatening risks in search of free ways to cool down. The footage also reveals that the swimming scenes are not limited to the Ain Chkaf River; children are also seen using various public fountains around Fes, underscoring their persistent search for alternative cooling spots during the hot months.
Calls for Action Amidst Rising Risks
Youssef Chakra, a local community activist, emphasized that the ongoing closure of several public swimming pools, particularly the Hassan II Pool and the Marja Pool, exacerbates this issue. He urged authorities to expedite the reopening of these facilities to meet the increasing demand during heatwaves. Chakra highlighted that the problem is not just about closures but also involves a lack of equitable distribution of public pools. Neighborhoods such as Merinids, Fes City, and Jnan Lweird, which have high population densities, lack public swimming facilities, depriving thousands of children of their right to accessible recreational spaces.
Chakra warned that children swimming in public fountains has become a recurring summer phenomenon, posing serious risks to their safety due to potential drowning and lack of supervision. The tragic death of a child last week at the Latin Park Lake serves as a grim reminder of the dangers involved, calling for immediate intervention to protect children from similar incidents. He proposed a practical plan focusing on the reopening and refurbishment of public swimming pools, along with the establishment of new facilities that cater to the community's needs. Furthermore, he suggested forming partnerships with civil society organizations to help manage and animate these spaces, insisting that the local council bears full responsibility for providing this public service, especially for children in underprivileged neighborhoods.
This situation brings to light the pressing demand for safe and free recreational spaces to combat heatwaves, ensuring children's rights to leisure and swimming in conditions that safeguard their safety. It is imperative to prevent the transformation of rivers and public fountains into open swimming areas that could easily become sources of new tragedies.
As reported by ar.le360.ma.
