Having been informed of apparently unsupervised swims by children and teens in the Bronx River over the last several years, Norwood News can confirm that groups are indeed swimming in the river.

 

On Friday, June 21, as The Weather Channel reported that the temperature in The Bronx reached 90 degrees on the first full day of summer, more than a dozen children were observed swimming and horsing around in the Bronx River’s murky waters, a few hundred feet from the Burke Avenue Bridge, which connects Norwood to Olinville.

 

In an area just north of the Burke Avenue footbridge called the Bronx River Forest, a dozen children and young people, who all appeared to be under the age of 18, swam and played in the water, as another half dozen children sat on nearby rocks.

 

Four adults could be seen a distance away from the river, two sitting in lounge chairs and two others standing near a table, seemingly unable to clearly see the children. A boombox was heard blasting music. One man, who was walking over the Burke Avenue Bridge and was headed toward the Allerton Ballfields and French Charley’s Playground with his young son was asked if he had ever seen children swimming unsupervised in the river. The man replied, “Yeah, sometimes I do.”

 

Asked if he had ever seen Parks department employees or police chase the kids away, the man replied, “No, never seen that.” He added, “I think I saw a kid leaving just now.” The child in question, dripping wet, was observed putting his sneakers on after taking a swim.

When told that a dozen children and young people were currently swimming in the water, the man responded, “Every summer, yeah. I’ve never seen anyone complain or anything.” The man was asked how long he had known about the kids’ swimming spot. He said since 2015, since he moved to the area.

 

“And it’s been like that every summer, probably before that too,” the man continued. Unaware of recent drowning tragedies in the Bronx River at East 180th Street in West Farms and in Starlight Park in Soundview, the man added, “I’ve seen a lot worse things in the park so I really hadn’t thought about that too much.” As the man was speaking, two young men on mopeds sped past on the nearby footpath at a high rate of speed, coming within a couple feet of striking him.

 

Meanwhile, the tipster who informed Norwood News of the kids’ and young adults’ regular swimming spot in the Bronx River was asked how long he had been aware of it. He said, “At least three or four years.” Asked if he’d ever seen an adult supervising the youngsters while they swam, he responded, “Nope. I think they cut school and go there.” The tipster added, “They jump; there’s like a little platform where it’s falling apart. If you walk back there, you can see it all. It’s like a ledge; they jump off of it. I just don’t understand why they don’t do something about it.”

 

The tipster, a long-time resident of Norwood, was asked if he had ever seen police officers or parks officials crack down on the seemingly unsupervised swims. He responded, “No.”

When contacted for comment, an unnamed NYPD spokesperson told Norwood News, “There are no designated patrols for swimming in those areas of the 52nd Precinct.” He added, “There have not been any summonses issued this year in regard to swimming in the river.”

 

On Friday, June 20, 2014, Erickson Villa and Gavin Wellington, both 13, drowned in the Bronx River at Starlight Park in Soundview after jumping into the river from a boat dock. On July 18, 2010, Crystal Reyes, 15, was swimming in the Bronx River in River Park at East 180th Street in West Farms when she began to have trouble staying afloat. Her friend, David Luccioni, 17, dove in to assist. Tragically, both teens drowned. On the same day that year, a near-drowning was reported at Van Cortlandt Park Pool. Police shut down the pool for the remainder of the day.

 

According to figures from New York State Department of Health (DOH), there were 51 drownings reported in New York City between 1987 and 2022. The DOH also reported 151 drownings in New York State in 2021, the latest year for which figures are available. Of the 151 drownings reported, just four took place at a public bathing facility during normal hours of operation. In 2020, DOH reported 159 drownings, with just three occurring at a public bathing facility during normal hours of operation.

 

With an unusually warm start to the summer season, drownings have already been reported in Coney Island in Brooklyn and at Rockaway Beach in Queens. On Wednesday, July 17, a 66-year-old man also suffered a near drowning when he was pulled from the waters at Orchard Beach.

Norwood News contacted NYC Department of Parks and Recreation for comment on the seemingly unsupervised swims. The department has been campaigning for many years to encourage New Yorkers to learn to become lifeguards amid a citywide shortage that has left Van Cortland Park Pool sometimes only partially opened in recent years due to one lifeguard not being sufficient to supervise the whole pool. We did not receive an immediate response from Parks.

 

Meanwhile, after recently advertising various swimming and pool events taking place on specific days for seniors and kids, Van Cortlandt Park Pool announced ahead of the 4th of July holiday weekend that the pool was closed until further notice due to ongoing mechanical issues. It has since reopened.

 

As reported in early January, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled NY SWIMS, the “New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming” program. “Access to swimming isn’t just about recreation; it’s about public health and climate resiliency,” the governor said. “NY SWIMS will be the largest statewide investment in swimming since the New Deal, expanding access for underserved communities and improving safety for kids across New York.”

 

Recognizing that drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, and that climate change will increase extreme heat events, the governor said NY SWIMS would build out municipal pools in high-need areas, connect New Yorkers to the State’s rivers and lakes, deploy pools in urban environments, and invest in State parks and pools.

Hochul said the program will also promote initiatives to help more New Yorkers swim safely by addressing the statewide lifeguard shortage, increasing swimming instruction, and increasing amenities at pools and beaches.

 

State officials went on to say that NY SWIMS will “deliver $150 million in grant funding for localities to build out 10 new, landmark, public swimming pools in areas most in need, drive innovation in pool designs, and deploy pop-up, above-ground pools to combat extreme heat.” They said NY SWIMS will reverse decades of disinvestment to ensure public parks offer new, state-of-the-art swimming facilities which can serve thousands of daily visitors.

 

They also said the State will partner with New York City to bring the vision of +Pool, a filtered floating pool which can sit in New York’s rivers, to life by jointly funding a demonstration project which will ensure this innovative model can safely provide access for swimmers. Norwood News has reached out to the Parks department for more information and will share any updates we receive.

As also reported, given the ongoing shortage of local public swimming pools in Bronx Community District 7, Norwood News previously asked NYC Department of Education (DOE) if the recently renovated DeWitt Clinton high school pool would be open to the public, as well as to students. We were informed that all operational pools can be used by non-school parties outside of school hours, including during the summer via an extended use permit, if not in use by the school or another program.

 

We were further informed that there are associated costs with extended use permits that cover supervision and operation of the pool and building. We asked DOE how the public could find out exactly how and when they could use the school’s pool, as well as the associated costs. We did not receive an immediate response. We will share any updates we receive.

Those wishing to sign-up to become a lifeguard can visit nyc.gov/park/lifeguards.

 

Meanwhile, after some recent health advisories issued by NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) regarding the water quality at Orchard Beach, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson announced on social media on Saturday, July 13, “We have been notified by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that the Orchard Beach water quality advisory has been lifted. Please continue to exercise caution while at the beach and to monitor updates.”

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.