Philadelphia Parks and Recreation announced Thursday that some Philadelphia public swimming pools will begin opening on June 21, which is also the beginning of summer. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation helps keep the city's indoor pools open year-round These pools are free and open to the public, and have water safety instructors. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation will open 50 of its 63 swimming pools this summer. Upstairs, two children swim in the pool at Fishtown Recreation Center on Tuesday, the first day the pool was open during the summer.
Philadelphia's swimming pools are surrounded by recreational centers, parks, playgrounds, and even museums, so you can continue the fun long after you get out of the water. Most of the city's swimming pools are ready to return in July, although some will remain closed due to a shortage of lifeguards across the country. As long as weather permits, hours tend to be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., or noon to 5 p.m., depending on the day, but it's a good idea to call ahead to check before you leave.
The first year I published the list of pool openings (after spending hours collecting location information), another Parks and Rec employee friend called me in a panic. The Kingsessing Pool has sun loungers, umbrellas and privacy protection from the street, and is part of the city's Swim Philly program, which sponsors activities for children. Although Parks & Rec had managed to open all public outdoor pools available by July 4th in previous years, this year's program is still considered “normal,” according to department spokeswoman Maita Soukup, who said it was based primarily on staff availability and the “past pool use” of the community. But I like nothing better than our swimming pools in summer, and the shortage of lifeguards is one of the biggest threats to their future.
This large T-shaped pool has something for everyone, including classes, family swimming, open swimming, and children's swim programs. And if you're looking for charm, Vogt has it: there's a hole in the wall of the recreation center through which staff climb to access the pool. Anyone who wants to swim in a Philadelphia pool comes some future July or August, whether in West Philly or beyond, needs Thelma Nesbitt, and the other instructors she and Larry Brown have trained, shouting at young people about how to swim and how to save lives. Parks and Rec hasn't released opening hours yet, but I can't complain about that when they bring back the long-closed Swim for Life camps (as well as all the pop-ups and free fitness classes of the past few years), advertise the swim classes that each pool offers to its neighbors, and release a swimsuit drive so I hope none of us will ever see a child looking longingly at the water again because he doesn't have the right equipment to get in.
To help you find the closest pool, here's a map of all the public pools open in Philadelphia this summer. Hatfield, PennsylvaniaIn addition to a lap pool, Hatfield Aquatic Center has several children's pools, a lazy river, a water castle, slides and a spray field, making it the one-stop option for all groups of all sizes and interests. If you're looking to get a little wet without paying for an expensive pool membership, you have a few options both in the city and in the suburbs, where you can dive. Kelly's Olympic size pool has a deep end for experienced swimmers, something you don't see everywhere.
Snake was shot in that pool by another city employee, an obstacle champion and student of Roman Catholic, now a doctor, named Malcolm Boykin.
