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Legislation looks to buoy low-income communities with new swimming pools, lessons
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Apr 20, 2023
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Apr 20, 2023
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The City Council is considering a bill that would require the city Parks Department to find sites where new pools could be built, with a focus on low-income or minority communities.
Under the potential law, the Department of Parks and Recreation would conduct a survey of sites already owned by the city to find locations where it would make sense to build new public swimming pools. With consultation from the Department of Education, it would consider opening pools inside city schools to the public.
Environmental Justice Communities, or neighborhoods that are low-income or majority minority, would be prioritized.
Councilmember Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, who introduced the bill last month, said access to pools is crucial, especially in her district in Rockaway, which is surrounded by water. She said she was moved to draw up the bill after two boys in her district drowned in the Jamaica Bay.
“I remember sitting at the table just crying because these children, they didn't know. But we also haven't given them ample access to be able to learn how to swim so that they can be able to protect themselves,” she said. “At that moment I was like, more has to be done.”
The bill also would also require the Parks Department to provide free swim lessons to children and adults. The city currently provides free swim lessons with an NYC Parks Recreation Center membership.
“Historically there have been little to no access for communities of color to swimming pools,” Brooks-Powers said. “And when you look at communities and the data statistics in terms of who can swim versus who cannot swim, it's pretty telling.”
Last year the city was left without swim programming due to a shortage of lifeguards. Brooks-Powers said the City Council is hoping to address that in upcoming budget talks.
“We want to make sure we're paying a competitive wage to lifeguards so that we don't have a shortage that we've seen over the last few years,” Brooks-Powers said.
Other councilmembers also had their eyes on pool and swim lesson access in the city. Another bill from Councilmember Shekar Krishnan would require the Parks Department to submit an annual report to the mayor and City Council on staffing levels and training for the city’s public pool and beaches. Another bill introduced in October aims to provide free swim lessons for children 13 and younger regardless of membership.
The City Council's Committee on Parks and Recreation will consider all of those bills at a hearing on Wednesday.
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Catalina Gonella
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