Budget Woes Close Harlem Pool

June 20, 2010 2:43pm Updated June 21, 2010 6:15am4commentsprint

The parks department estimates draining Mayor Wagner swimming pool will help save $1.4 million.

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A man cools off in the fountain at Washington Square Park. It may be a more common sight after the city announced it was closing public pools. (Della Hasselle/DNAinfo)

By Nina Mandell

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Cooling down this summer is going to be harder to do after the parks department announced budget woes had forced it to close Wagner swimming pool.

The East Harlem pool is one of four slated to be drained this month in a measure expected to save $1.4 million, the Daily News reported.

Budget cuts are forcing four area pools to shut down. (Flickr user CEThompson)

Despite the city already baking in record high temperatures, pools across the city will also close on August 22, instead of the traditional end date of Labor Day, the News said.

"This is going to be a very difficult summer for some of our most vulnerable kids," Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer told the News.

The Parks Department said in a statement that the closures were based on attendance figures, public transit access and location of pools relative to residential communities.

The Wagner pool, named after former Mayor Robert Wagner, is located on 124th Street between First and Second avenues. It was built in 1969 and underwent $43,891 worth of renovations in 1999.

The other pools being closed are in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

By Nina Mandell, DNAinfo.com

Comments 4comments

NYC, with all it's corporations, could certainly find a way to drum up $1.4M in corproate support, no?
runnique | June 21, 2010

$14 (no decimal point) to build a new playground for yuppie kids in Herald Square. Only $1.4 (note decimal point) million to keep an already existing pool open for poor kids in Harlem.
DenisDrew | June 21, 2010

(A big round of thanks to our elected and appointed officials who put wealthy white Upper East Side residents first. (UES: 88% white, $88,000 per capita income. Special thanks to Mayor Bloomberg (who lives in the Upper East Side, of course) Parks Commissioner William Castro, Manhattan Parks Commission Adrian Benepe, Manhattan Community Board 8, Council members Jessica Lappin and Daniel Garodnick) for keeping the money (and the open pools) where they should be – in the hands of wealthy white folks! Does this sound fair to you?
Big Park Picture | June 21, 2010

Let Them Eat Cake ! City pools are closing in poor neighborhoods because politicians are diverting NYC park funds to wealthy neighborhoods to renovate and add features to already existing and practically brand new parks. An example is Pavilion Park located in the tony Upper East Side of Manhattan at 61st Street overlooking the East River. Tiny but chic the 12,000 square foot (slightly less than ¼ acre) Pavilion Park was built in 1995 --only 15 years ago-- at a cost of $2.1 million dollars (a price tag that does not include the cost of the Alice Aycock rooftop sculpture). On June 9, 2010 I attended a Manhattan Community Board 8 meeting where I learned that plans are underway to completely revamp Pavilion Park WITH $1 million dollars of City park funds. Existing practically brand new fencing and benches will be replaced as will the $600,000 hex tile patterned paved surface. Why? Because wealthy Upper East Side residents have decided they now want a raised lawn for a more up-to-date green look. They may be wealthy, but they certainly do not want to spend their own money which is why the City will pick up the $1 million dollar tab! When I objected, I was informed that it wasn't costing "that much" money. Imagine. Only $1 million dollars. Chump change in this hood. (Especially when it comes with money saved by closing your pool!) Hey, I know what. Come use our pool. Yes, believe it or not, we too have a public pool here on the Upper East Side. It is located in John Jay Park on East 77th Street and guess what? Our pool won’t be closing this summer. And you know why I am inviting you to swim in our pool? Because we won’t be using it, that’s why. Like the rest of my wealthy neighbors, we’re gonna be out in the Hamptons. Hey, suckers. Have a nice summer! (A big round of thanks to our elected and appointed officials who put wealthy white Upper East Side residents first. (UES: 88% white, $88,000 per capita income. Brooklyn census tracts closest to D
Big Park Picture | June 21, 2010

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