Talk:Tag:amenity=swimming pool

Merge with leisure=swimming_pool?

amenity=swimming_pool

leisure=swimming_pool

The above shows the current tag usage stats. The following discussions points are added at some earlier point in time

---

As of 2010-12-01, this is the most common tag in the OSM database used for representing a swimming pool, and is 4 times as common as the currently documented leisure=swimming_pool : http://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/search?q=swimming+pool#values. The amenity=* namespace is perhaps not the best place for this type of feature, but I'm just documenting what I see in the database right now. Personally I like leisure=swimming_pool far better than this, but hey. Document what's out there. --achadwick 14:02, 1 December 2010 (UTC)

I think this would be better as a leisure=swimming_pool than a amenity=swimming_pool, as amenity=* seems to be more 'touristy,' and swimming pools are more of a short-term activity. Also, leisure=water_park is a leisure. However, there is a difference between public pools and private pools, like you find in an apartment complex, hotel, HOA, so I think adding a public=yes or public=no tag to the pool would be valuable. Tahongawaka 06:32, 10 December 2010 (UTC)

Yes, let's merge. As of March 2011, there are more leisure tags than amenity, and Mapink and osmarender only render leisure tags. ponzu 2:01 PM, 26 March 2011 (PST)

the stats show 133 673 versus 42 641 in favour of leisure= over amenity= now. This shift has been seen with some other tags where early in the project history we had more stuff lumped into Key:amenity. However...

There's more debate on this over at Proposed features/Swimming pool and more people defending the old amenity tag. Also as someone's pointed out there, Potlatch2 simple view sets the amenity= tag, despite listing it under both amenity and leisure categories. So this debate isn't over yet.

Also I'd suggest not a page merge initially, but just a more prominent label placed on the lesser used tag docs directing people to the "right" place. Not sure if we've reached the point where even that should be done yet.

-- Harry Wood 16:42, 14 February 2012 (UTC)

OK 2016. I see the stats show a strong shift to leisure from amenity. 35309 versus 9361, and Math1985 has gone ahead and labelled this as discouraged. I described some other aspects of the changeover on the page there. Potlatch 2 presets still needs sorting out -- Harry Wood (talk) 14:09, 12 February 2016 (UTC)

Trying out this new TagHistory tool comparing these tags:

TagHistory graph of tag usage change over time

Very cool. We can see a slow decline in amenity=swimming_pool, perhaps accelerating when the docs were blown away this year

-- Harry Wood (talk) 15:13, 1 September 2016 (UTC)

I think the deprecation warning in JOSM might also have played a role. Math1985 (talk) 18:49, 1 September 2016 (UTC)

For the pool only, for the surrounding area, or just a POI?

Asked on IRC:

<monotreme> so when mapping a pool, like the one in an apartment building, should the contour include the ancillary area with chaise-longs etc., or just the actual area of water?

Good question. Personally I see this tag (and it's leisure=* alias) as a POI-ish object that can go inside a building, be placed on a building outline itself, or used to mark the fancy outline of a large decorative swimming pool... but maybe that's all a bit fluid a definition to be usable, pun intended. What are people doing with this tag out there? --achadwick 14:07, 1 December 2010 (UTC)

All Potlatch2 shortcuts create amenity|swimming_pool

Issue: Potlatch2's simple mode includes shortcuts for "swimming_pool" under both "Amenity" and "Sports&Leisure".

Problem: both shortcuts create amenity=swimming_pool. Neither creates leisure=swimming_pool. Despite these amenity shortcuts, leisure is catching up to amenity and leisure is now almost as popular as amenity in the database.

Solution?: Until the debate between amenity vs. leisure is resolved: could someone please add shortcuts in Potlatch2 for leisure=swimming_pool under both "Amenity" and "Sports&Leisure"? Thanks Peace2 16:13, 16 January 2011 (UTC)

Second that! Has a trac bug been created? ponzu 2:03 PM, 26 March 2011 (PST)

(5 years later)

Even better than a trac bug. I just created a pull request to change the P2 presets -- Harry Wood (talk) 14:13, 12 February 2016 (UTC)

Some unaddressed related concepts

Just off the top of my head, some related concepts it'd be good to have some foo=* or swimming_pool:foo=* type tagging for --achadwick 14:10, 1 December 2010 (UTC)

• Sport vs. recreation
• Laned vs. unlaned
• Indoor vs. outdoor
• Heated vs unheated
• Chlorinated vs. unchlorinated
• Availability and type of changing area
• Showers

abandoned pool

how would i tag a swimming pool no longer in use? like, an old cement pool that's no longer being maintained.I have it tagged with:

abandoned:amenity=swimming pool

disused=yes

is that sufficient?

That seems right./Johan Jönsson (talk) 11:08, 1 August 2014 (UTC)

Swimming Pool for Educational

A swimming pool attached to a school that is not open to the public is an educational facility, not for leisure. So I think it's wrong to use a leisure tag for it. So how about "amenity=swimming_pool" should be used separately for non-leisure swimming pools? --Otenkiya (talk) 01:08, 6 November 2020 (UTC)

Umm, no? Professional and commercial sports or recreation for whatever users and purposes all fall under leisure=*. Aside from access=private, if enclosing in the school area can't describe it well, consider exploring education=* and training=* (both previous attempts)? ---- Kovposch (talk) 07:33, 6 November 2020 (UTC)

leisure=* says, "The leisure key is for places people go in their spare time." Swimming training as a school class is not a spare time activity. So treating a school swimming pool as a leisure=* is against the definition and can only be called a misuse. --Otenkiya (talk) 10:00, 6 November 2020 (UTC)

See Counterintuitive key names - in general key descriptions are rough indicator, not strict description Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 13:20, 6 November 2020 (UTC)

I fixed misleading, overly strict definition at Key:leisure and noted that it is not how key names are used Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 13:26, 6 November 2020 (UTC)

not redundant

The docs say the replacement for this tag is leisure=swimming_pool, but leisure=swimming_pool is any actual (water filled) swimming pool, while amenity=swimming_pool was (where I have seen it) used for the whole grounds, public swimming facilities which can have several pools, can have grass areas for relaxing and sunbathing, (and are not expected to be in someones backyard, as are most leisure=swimming_pools). A suggested replacement could IMHO be leisure=sports_centre with sport=swimming (if "we" still believe that amenity is not suitable). --Dieterdreist (talk) 12:06, 8 April 2025 (UTC)