Squadron, Community Release Petitions, Survey To Keep BK Bridge Park Pool Open

Squadron, BP Adams, CM Levin, 879 Community Members Urge Pop-up Pool Remain As Push for Permanent Pool Continues

BROOKLYN – Today,  State Senator Daniel Squadron, and “Love Our Pool: Families United For A Pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park,” joined by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and community members, urged the City to keep the Brooklyn Bridge Park pop-up pool open until there are concrete plans for a permanent pool. They released 879 petition signatures, and a report titled Making A Splash The Pop-Up Pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park (report attached). Currently, the pop-up pool is planned to be eliminated after this summer, however the report shows broad support for the continued existence of a pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

 Squadron’s office conducted the survey this summer in collaboration with “Love Our Pool.” The report found:

• The pop-up pool serves a broad community. 82% of respondents came from outside of the pool’s zip code, with the majority (63%) coming from other Brooklyn neighborhoods.
• The pop-up pool is the only swimming option for most families. 60% of respondents said the pop-up pool is the only local public pool they visit.
• The pop-up pool has many repeat visitors. 72% of respondents reported visiting the pop-up pool at least once a month; 64% visit even more often.
• People want a pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park. 97% of respondents agreed that the pool “is a valuable community resource.” 80% of respondents ranked a pool as the most important feature for this part of the park.
• The report calls for the City to preserve the pop-up pool while ongoing efforts to secure a permanent pool for Brooklyn Bridge Park continue.

“The results are in -- the pool’s made a splash in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and shouldn’t dry up after this summer,” said State Senator Daniel Squadron. “I’ll continue urging the City to keep a pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park, along with colleagues and the community. Thank you to ‘Love Our Pool,’ my colleagues, and community members for their continued advocacy.”

“In just a few years, the pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park has made an enormous splash, allowing swimmers to cool down with a refreshing dip and a beautiful view of the East River,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “As the crown jewel of a revitalized Brooklyn waterfront, Brooklyn Bridge Park offers amenities for the whole family, prominently including the pop-up pool. We should listen to the many park visitors from neighborhoods across Brooklyn who love the pool and want to continue to experience its many benefits until a permanent replacement has been created.”

“The Brooklyn Bridge Park provides a valuable recreational service to members of our community and this survey further underscores that point. We must work together to plan a permanent pool for Brooklyn families,” said Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY).

“The pop-up pool has made one thing quite clear: the public uses the pop-up pool and wants a pool long-term at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It’s not hard to see why. It’s been a hot summer and pools refresh us so. Time to dive in and start organizing for a larger, permanent pool. Floating pool, anyone?” said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

“Everyone is supportive of a permanent pool – but until that idea becomes a reality the pop-up pool needs to stay open. Access to public amenities, especially those utilized by children and their families, should only increase as time goes on,” said City Councilmember Stephen T. Levin.

“We are simply asking for the community’s voice to be heard,” said Suzanne Quint, of Love Our Pool: Families United For A Pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park. “Closing a well-loved pool, and closing it without a replacement plan, does not serve the thousands of Brooklyn families who rely on this pool to make it through the hot summer and to learn to swim.”

“Cobble Hill community members want Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) to offer the pop-up pool for as long as it takes to build a permanent pool. The pop-up pool has become an important amenity for us, especially while enduring a hot summer like this one. We all need safe options for cooling off. What better way to do so than by taking a dip in a pool embedded in a park with all the many fun activities this park has to offer,” said Amy Breedlove, Cobble Hill Association President.

Peter Bray, the Brooklyn Heights Association’s Executive Director, said “The pop up pool is extremely popular with park users. This long hot summer has amply demonstrated the importance of the welcome relief it provides, particularly given the dearth of public pools available to the Brooklyn community. A pool has been an integral part of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s design since its 2001 Master Plan, and for that reason, we call upon the Park Corporation to operate the pop up pool until a permanent solution can be found. The BHA is grateful to State Senator Squadron for bringing attention to this important issue and will work with him and other community advocates to retain the pop up pool until a permanent replacement is available.”

The report was based on results from 189 surveys gathered from pop-up pool visitors between June 30^th and July 28^th. The “Love Our Pool” petition has received a total of  879 unique signatures (both online and in paper), and is available at www.facebook.com/loveourpool.

Squadron and Assemblymember Millman secured the pop-up pool for at least five years in an agreement that secured funding for the park and moved it forward. Founded in June, “Love Our Pool: Families United For A Pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park” is a coalition of parents, families, and stakeholders calling to preserve a pool in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

###