When I was a boy my community in Clifton, once an independent village but by then part of Cincinnati, Ohio, built a community pool, and and several tennis courts. That must have been about 1947. This community center for me, and most of the children in Clifton, became the center of our lives in summer, particularly before I learned to drive. Like my friends I learned to be a proficient swimmer in that pool, as well as a fearless diver from the high board. I learned how to rescue someone who was in trouble in the water. Looking back I see it as one of the critical turning points of my life. And this same story played out for millions of children across the United States. But, as this article describes, public pools are dying, no longer a social priority for cities and towns everywhere. Did you know that the majority of Americans no longer know how to swim, and that as a result, drowning is the No. 1 cause of death for Americans 1 to 4 years old. It is the No. 2 cause of death for the next age group. And it is one of the leading causes of death for all Americans under the age of 24. Racism is part of the reason for this, lack of community commitment and funding is another part. And as a result it is hard for community pools to find competent life guards. An entire way of life is vanishing, and as a country we are the worst for this change.
The Perry public swimming pool in Phoenix sits empty on July 19 during a record heat wave after being closed and drained. Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP / Getty
This summer, it’s hot. We don’t need to tell you. America’s been suffering a catastrophic heat wave for more than a month—no part of the country has been immune. That means people are scrambling to cope. Recently, the president even issued the country’s first-ever heat wave “hazard alert” for workers. But there’s one obvious, no-brainer option for staying cool. And across the country, it’s failing.
More than half of Boston’s city pools closed this summer. The same thing happened in Jacksonville, Florida. And in Atlanta, all the outdoor public pools closed for the rest of the summer before July even ended. Pool closures have plagued American cities for years. Officials blame crumbling infrastructure and, recently, lifeguard shortages. About a third of the nation’s public pools were affected by staffing issues last year. According to the American Lifeguard Association, 2023 is as bad or worse.
“We really just haven’t prioritized swimming in this […]
