My summer Sunday afternoon routine goes something like this: I wake up, wait until noon when my local public pool opens, swim for about an hour, then park myself in a lawn chair with a book (and a hat and lots of sunscreen). Dive incessantly until the gate closes.
I see groups of friends up and down at the point where the shallow end becomes the deep end. I hear kids chattering about taglines they heard from TikTok or YouTube as they dive after the ball. Sometimes they ask to borrow my goggles and I give them extras. Lifeguards tell kids to stop roughhousing. Despite living in a major city with dozens of well-attended public pools, it feels like a secret, nestled behind a museum and surrounded by thousands of acres of park space. This is heaven to me.
These community pools offer more than a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. They provide important places to cool off, a free location for kids to hang out, a low-impact way to exercise, and a third place to bring neighborhood members together. But a history Racism and segregation, Decades of investment, and a Turn to private swim clubs and private pools This means that not everyone has access to these magical places. This can make it difficult to find a public pool in your area.
Today, the CDC estimates that there are about 309,000 public pools in the country, compared to 10.4 million private pools—a staggering disparity.
From the 1920s to the 1940s, cities built thousands of public pools, according to Contested Water: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America By Jeff Wiltse. In 1933, Americans spent as much time swimming as they did going to the movies, writes Wilts. In New York City, for example, 11 pools opened Over the course of a few weeks in the summer of 1936. Nationwide, these pools were Basically ethnically segregatedand pushed for their integration throughout the 1940s and ’50s was met with violence from White rioters and protestors.
Poole, instead of merging the municipality saleUntil they are filled, or neglected fell into trouble. As people moved from cities to suburbs, Taxpayer funding for the pool is shrinking, forcing thousands to shutter and open private clubs instead. In the 1950s and early 60s, More than 20,000 private swimming clubs have opened In mostly white suburbs. Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention It is estimated that there are about 309,000 public pools in the countryto compare 10.4 million private – A wonderful disparity.
The two biggest challenges facing public pools are funding and staffing, said Melissa May, senior manager of research National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Local parks, including community pools run by municipalities, receive 60 percent of their funding through tax subsidies. American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2021 Infrastructure Report Card. “Inconsistent, uncertain funding makes capital planning difficult for parks,” the report said. from epidemics, Lack of lifeguards Also put a strain on pools, with some not being open or operating with limited hours.
Despite these challenges, your local public pool can be a sanctuary, providing comfort from the heat, a place to connect with others, and a safe place to learn or improve your swimming. Don’t forget water, a snack, and plenty of sunscreen.
A place of mental and physical enrichment
Extreme heat has hit the nation — and the world — with public pools as a low-cost way for communities to cool off “When the heat rises, they can be, literally, life-saving places for people to cool down and keep their body temperature safe,” says Jessica FinleyInstitute of Behavioral Science and an assistant professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder, who studied at Third.
Keeping your body temperature low doesn’t just prevent you from getting heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses, but it can Blocks the cognitive and mood effects of heatAggressiveness and mental laziness during information processing.
In general, aquatic activities – such as swimming, water aerobics or even floating in water – have countless benefits. they have been Better links mental health And positive mood. Swimming is also shown Improve memory And Cognitive function. In addition to improving mental health, a few laps in a pool improves heart health and lung capacity, lowers blood pressure, reduces joint pain and increases bone strength. According to research.
Public pools can also be places where non-swimmers can learn important water safety skills. More than 4,500 people die from drowning every year from 2020 to 2022, according to CDC data. American Indians or Alaska Natives and blacks have the highest drowning rates compared to other races and ethnicities.
With these figures in mind, Paulana founded Lamonier Black people will swim, an organization that has provided swimming lessons and aquatic education to nearly 2,500 participants over the past five years. Public pools are safe places for people to learn to swim, Lamonnier said, because they often offer free or low-cost lessons for children and adults under the supervision of lifeguards and instructors. When people are confident, they can more fully reap the benefits of being in and around water, she says. “Swimming tends to make people forget,” says Lamonnier. “When they are afraid, they fight. They are trying to resist it. You’re trying to stay above water. But when you’re really calm and relaxed, that’s when you really see [that you] Know what to do.”
An accessible space for all ages
Like many third spaces, public pools bring together community members of all ages and backgrounds. “We often push older age groups to the periphery,” says Finley, “and pools are places where there are programs for seniors in addition to children.” Pools are where sunbathing teenagers rub shoulders with lap-swimming retirees. This melting pot effect is yours. can contribute to a sense of community belonging, thereby, Mental and physical health can improve. One study found that when people went to the pool to socialize, they reported Less isolation and stress and better mental health. A report from Australia found that public pools Encourage social cohesion and connection.
Pools are not only great places to hang out, but are also a key employer during the summer months. According to NRPA Seasonal Recruitment Report, lifeguards make up two-thirds of summer seasonal hires at parks and rec centers across the country. Many of these parks’ employees are under the age of 24, suggesting that pools — and park and recreation jobs in general — provide teens and young adults with first-time work experience. Lifeguards, without whom the pool cannot function, There is a high demand nationwide. In recent years, older Americans have adopted Post-retirement career as a lifeguard To ensure more pools can open – and stay open more hours.
Getting somewhere affordable and accessible can be life-changing for older adults or people with disabilities. In her study of how the built environment affects older adults, Finley heard from research participants who use public pools year-round. He remembers one woman in particular who frequented the local pool after a stroke. Once she got into the water, Finley recalled, the pain in the woman’s face went away.
“It was just this experience where a lot of his chronic pain that stemmed from complications from the stroke and surgery, it just subsided,” she says. The participant met another group of women who chatted while walking up and down the length of the pool. “It was very visible how therapeutic it was for their mental health, physical health and social health,” Finlay said. Similarly, Lamonier holds classes for couples — best friends, couples, family members — who often connect and bond.
How to find — and support — your public pool
Your municipal parks and recreation department will often have an online directory of public pools with membership fees. (For example, here’s the list for New York City, Colorado SpringsAnd Fairytale birds are special.) online database Swimmer’s Guide Allows you to search by location for all pools in your area, including pools where you may have to pay a membership fee May suggests asking your neighbors if they frequent the pool.
May said the easiest way to support public pools is to frequent them and let local lawmakers know how much you value them. May suggests sharing your suggestions for opening long-closed pools or extending hours of operation with local officials, from parks and recreation directors to city council members. Consider the current popularity of pickleball, he says. “People playing pickleball are very vocal, so they’re getting their court,” she says. “So if people share that passion about the pool [is] Currently sharing about pickleball, then it will help the cause.”
