GRAND CROSSING — For the past 10 years, the pool at Hirsch Metropolitan High School sat empty.
The walls were cracked, shower drains were clogged and the pool was in general disrepair.
But on Monday, thanks to a partnership with the Chicago Park District, the pool at 7740 S. Ingleside Ave. will open once again for use by the school's 155 students.
And the 8-foot-deep heated pool will be open to the public, too.
Reporter Andrea Watson talks about how the Hirsch H.S. pool will serve the community.
"For our students, it means that we are ensuring that their high school experience at Hirsch is equal to the neighborhood school experience in more affluent areas in the city as well as selective enrollment and charter schools," said the school's new principal Larry Varn, who started in August. "It's one small step in making sure our students know that they matter just as much as the kids who attend these other schools."
The pool is sorely needed in the neighborhood. Grand Crossing Park, which is right across the street from the neighborhood school, only has an outdoor pool.
Varn said fixing the pool and reopening it to the community was the first step towards reconnecting with the community.
“I don’t know where that breakdown occurred, but the community has got to trust us and we’ve got to trust the community because we are a part of the community,” he said. “We can’t shut our doors and pretend that we’re not in Grand Crossing or a part of Grand Crossing. Hirsch is Grand Crossing and Grand Crossing is Hirsch, so we can’t act like we don’t exist here. We service this community.”
Varn said he’s not sure why the pool was closed for so many years, but once he took the role as principal, he reached out to the Chicago Park District to get it fixed. Repairs totaled about $66,000, he said. Cracks in the pool were sealed, showers were cleaned and the water filtration system was repaired.
Chicago Park District Superintendent Michael Kelly said there are 26 miles of lakefront along park district land.
"It is our responsibility to make certain that every Chicago resident has access to swim lessons," he said in a statement.
Providing that access goes along with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's "Building on Burnham" strategy to invest in the parks and encourage other city agencies to work together in expanding recreational programming in neighborhoods, Kelly said.
"The partnership with Hirsch High School is an excellent example, and we are pleased to offer access to this life-saving skill in Grand Crossing community," he said.
The new swimming pool will be open to the community during the week from 4-8 p.m. and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. Classes include adult/youth learn-to-swim classes, adult/senior aquatic exercises, family swim, open swim, team sports, tiny tots and youth/teen swim.
The first class of Learn to Swim for youths and teens is free and can be obtained by using the code "FIRSTFREE." Both the Learn to Swim for Adults and the youth/teen 10-week sessions are $30, but financial assistance is available for those who qualify. All open swim sessions are free. For more information call the park at 312-747-6158 or visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. Lifeguards will be on duty.
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