Summer is here and the time is right for taking a dip in the Brooklyn Bridge Park Pop Up Pool. The popular destination opened for the season on June 29th and is once again offering up free 45-minute sessions and swim lessons (check the website for schedules) from 10-6 pm daily through Labor Day. But as reported by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in January a Memorandum of Understanding issued in August 2011 decrees 2016 is meant to be the pool’s fifth and final season.
As the end nears, Senator Daniel Squadron and other electeds are advocating for the pool to remain open. As recently as June 7th Brooklyn Bridge Park Board meeting (in which the body voted 12-4 to proceed with the development at Pier 6) Boardmember Zeeshan Ott (and Squadron staffer) pressed Deputy Mayor and Board Chair Alicia Glen to keep the pool open. Ms. Glen responded that the pool was never meant to be in operation past five seasons and that the Park had other plans for the land. A specific schematic for the parcel is not currently available on the Brooklyn Bridge Park’s website.
In a statement given to DNAinfo this past Thursday the Senator explained, “The pop-up pool has become a beloved community resource. Working with the community, we must continue on a path toward a full-size permanent pool, and it’s critical that the pop-up pool not be eliminated in the interim.”
Meanwhile, a parent group calling themselves Love Our Pool has recently joined the fight. Its spokesperson, Suzanne Quint explained, “Given its robust and enthusiastic usage over the past 5 years, it has become clear that the Pop Up Pool has filled a gap in the community. To remove it without a specific plan in place for a permanent pool would be a major loss for families across Brooklyn.” In a Blog exclusive, Quint shared the group’s newly-minted petition, urging like-minded individuals to please sign and also “Like” the group’s Facebook page.
So what do you think? More park land or Pop Up Pool? Discuss.
