Debate over the lack of public swimming pools in The Bronx has been raging for many years, a situation further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frustration was evident during recent summers when, on hot days, long lines of pool goers were witnessed outside Van Cortlandt Park‘s renovated public swimming pool. Meanwhile, inside, only half the pool was open for safety reasons amid an ongoing lifeguard shortage.

 

Norwood News has been reporting on the ongoing need for more NYC lifeguards since at least 2013, and regularly thereafter via our recurring Neighborhood Notes listings, but The Bronx is not alone in this regard.

 

In early January, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled NY SWIMS, the “New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming” program, the fourth proposal of her 2024 State of the State address. “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 will 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.

State officials 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.

 

In August 2023, following the adoption of the City budget, Norwood News reported on the renovation, as confirmed by Councilman Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11), of the swimming pool located at DeWitt Clinton High School, a public school located in the Bedford Park neighborhood. During a budget presentation to constituents, in reference to the lifeguard shortage, and displaying images of the school’s pool in a poor state of repair, Dinowitz said in part at the time, “For a long time, the Clinton pool has been unusable. It’s been a mess.”

 

He added, “I saw the Parks’ committee and we had a lot of discussions. Students at Clinton had no access to a pool to even try to become lifeguards.” He said through public hearings, the council was able to get the School Construction Authority to renovate the pool. [DOE’s Division of School Facilities later informed us it was DOE’s Division of School Facilities, and not the School Construction Authority that renovated the pool.]

 

Meanwhile, local residents, Sirio and Heather Guerino, whose children attended the school, had long advocated for the pool’s renovation, and therefore, were later disappointed to hear that when a formal pool reopening was held at the school, they were not invited to attend. When Norwood News made inquiries about the reopening event with NYC Department of Education (DOE), since the school does not speak directly to the press, we were informed that it had not been a press event.

 

Given the public advocacy shown at various community board meetings by Sirio Guerino for the pool’s reopening, we also inquired with Dinowitz’s office about who had organized the grand opening. We were advised that the councilman assumed it had been organized by the school, and that the school had likely sent out the invitations. We were referred to DOE by the school’s representatives when we contacted them for comment.

Norwood News was further informed that the councilman was certainly sad that the Guerinos were not present for the formal reopening. Dinowitz’s team added that the councilman first learned about the pool from Sirio and had called him throughout the renovation process to keep him updated on progress. His team added that the councilman said if it hadn’t been for Sirio’s advocacy, he (Dinowitz) would never have pushed so hard for the pool’s renovation.

 

Sirio Guerino later shared the following comment with Norwood News on this story, “The main reason that no-one (the BOE) invited my wife, Heather, and I, to the grand opening of DeWitt Clinton’s campus pool is that we had to ‘scream and jump up and down,’ to get the BOE [DOE] to spend the money to get that pool [fixed]!! With four different high schools and over 2,000 ‘students’ with 4,000 ‘parents’ of said students, they all stood around with their thumbs up their butts, wait for [someone] else to do the heavy lifting to get the city to do the right thing!! So, the BOE [DOE] wanted all the credit for fixing and opening the pool, not that “we” twisted their arms to do it!!!!”

 

Norwood News has reached out once again to DOE for comment and will share any feedback we receive.

 

Given the ongoing shortage of local public swimming pools in Bronx Community District 7, Norwood News later asked DOE if the school’s 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 DeWitt Clinton High School pool, as well as the associated costs. We did not receive an immediate response. We will share any future updates we receive. Meanwhle, those wishing to sign-up to become a lifeguard, can visit nyc.gov/park/lifeguards.

 

Meanwhile, on May 2, NYC Parks issued “a Request for Expressions of Interest (“RFEI”) for the operation of off-season activations at several pool sites citywide from October through March.” Parks is seeking plans for active or passive recreation, and for services, programming, and concessions that will enhance pool spaces during the winter season while improving the quality of life for visitors and the surrounding community.

Parks officials said by opening these locations, the agency is creating much needed additional space to benefit families, facilitate innovative programs, and keep pool sites running as community hubs in the winter season. “Our city’s outdoor pools are an essential part of summer in New York, and NYC Parks is excited to keep those spaces active and engaging in the winter months with new pool deck programming,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue.

 

“This is the first time we’re looking to open six of our pools simultaneously during the winter to create concessions that will enhance the off-season recreation options in our public spaces,” she added. “We encourage proposers to think of new and exciting ways to use these locations to make spaces for connection, keep children and adults active, and provide New Yorkers with exciting and dynamic programming.”

 

Off-season activation is being considered at six outdoor pools, one in Queens, three in Manhattan, one in Brooklyn and one in The Bronx, Foster Pool, located north of Yankee Stadium, and recently upgraded as part of the “Cool Pools” initiative. The pool is situated in a residential neighborhood comprising multi-family apartment buildings and is easily accessible by public transit. Foster Pool contains an intermediate-sized pool and a wading pool.

 

Expressions of Interest should include the proposer’s vision and goals for the site, in addition to their qualifications and past projects. Revenue and expense projections for the project, including staffing and timeline forecasts should be included, as well as community outreach and marketing plans.

 

Plans for equipment acquisition, set-up/take-down, ADA compliance, and security should also be included in the submission. Any proposed on-site structures, and any equipment, should be temporary and be removable by the concessionaire within 48 hours’ notice by Parks.

If, upon review by Parks, a new concession idea appears to be feasible, appropriate, and advantageous to the City, Parks will then consider beginning the concession solicitation process through the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP).

 

To view the RFEI in full, click here, and select the Off-Season Pool/Deck Activations option. More information can be found in the RFEI.