An example of private companies making profits by utilizing municipal facilities can be seen in the US city of Detroit. Detroit, which was once a representative of poor cities in the US, has recently been gaining momentum. The city has adopted a system in which it entrusts the management and operation of city parks to its citizens free of charge. The citizens have become entrepreneurs who sell hot dogs in the parks. In exchange for obtaining the right to sell hot dogs in the parks, the citizens manage and clean the parks. The city can save on labor costs related to cleaning, and the hot dog vendors make profits from sales. Dormant public facilities are generating profits.
In Japan, there are public facilities that are dormant or will be dormant in the future. In the 14 years since fiscal 2002, approximately 6,800 public schools across the country have been closed. Of the 6,800 public schools, nearly 900 were demolished without being reused. Due to the declining birthrate, facilities that are certain to be consolidated or closed down, or unused facilities, can become a treasure trove if you use your imagination. For example, in a medium-sized city with a population of 300,000, there are about 50 elementary schools. These elementary schools will be consolidated or closed down eventually. Therefore, heated swimming pools are built at elementary schools that are scheduled to be closed. If five schools are scheduled to be closed, it is an interesting idea to build five heated swimming pools. These five pools will be shared by the 50 elementary schools at first and used all year round. As consolidation and closures progress, the number of schools will decrease, but the remaining schools will use the five heated swimming pools in an adjusted manner.
In Tokyo’s Chuo Ward and other areas, “school heated pools” are open to the public. 350 yen for ward adults and 500 yen for non-ward adults. Free for ward residents over 65 years old. There is also the idea of transferring the operation of indoor heated pools to private companies, as in Detroit. The operation of the pool is outsourced to private companies. Private swimming schools operate their own indoor heated pools. They make a profit from this. They can operate heated pools without using their own funds. The time when the children are not using the pool is when they make money. This is that they create a system to make a profit. There is data that shows that people who swim 2-3 times a week spend 30,000-40,000 yen less on medical expenses per year. By using indoor heated pools effectively, they contribute to improving the health of citizens. If more people use them, companies can also increase their profits.
