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Philly swimming pools begin closing this week — but some will stay open until Labor Day

The swimming season ended Sunday at five city pools. Others will shut down on a rolling basis in the coming weeks.

Philadelphia Parks and Recreation spokesperson Maita Soukup takes one last group photo of the staff who worked at the Sacks pool, 400 Washington Ave.
Philadelphia Parks and Recreation spokesperson Maita Soukup takes one last group photo of the staff who worked at the Sacks pool, 400 Washington Ave.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer / Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Phot

As the swimming season ended Sunday at five city pools, including Sacks, in Pennsport, neighborhood resident Allen Lee and his two kids bid farewell to a short hot summer’s worth of fun.

“We’re really sad that it’s over,” said Lee, a pharmacist who brings his young daughter and son to the pool near Fourth and Washington twice a week.

“It’s been super hot, and the pool is a nice break,” said Melissa DiCarlo, a clinical research coordinator and mother of two. “It’s been important to us.”

Lee, DiCarlo, and their family members are among the 12,000 Sacks patrons and the 500,000 total patrons of the 60 swimming facilities operating this season, said Bill Salvatore, a deputy commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.

The facilities opened in June on a rolling schedule and will follow a similar pattern in closing, said Salvatore. The goal is to first close pools that are close to others that will remain open longer, and keeping the biggest facilities that serve larger sections of the city open through Labor Day.

Salvatore said he has visited 59 of the 60 pools and will be at Martin Luther King Recreation Center pool, which was shuttered by mechanical issues, when it opens later this week. That facility will remain open until the Thursday after Labor Day.

“The vibe from all the people I talked to at the pools this summer has been super positive,” he said.

In the spring, however, yet another shortage of lifeguards loomed. The city spent months looking for guards, expanded training, and offered a $1,000 bonus to recruits in order to open most of its 70 public pools.

Advocates have pointed out that access to swimming facilities and swimming lessons historically have been limited in communities of  color, and that remains an issue in some Philly neighborhoods.

Parks and Rec spokesperson Maita Soukup said the department has developed a “pipeline” of recruits and returning lifeguards. Salvatore said inspections of all facilities will occur after they are drained in order to spot potential issues well in advance of next summer.

Across the city on Sunday, Sacks and four other pools, including Barry, 1800 Johnston St.; F.J. Myers, 5800 Chester Ave., Johnny Sample, 280 Cobbs Creek Parkway; and Lackman,1101 Bartlett St., were shut down and prepared for draining.

Scheduled to close at afternoon’s end Monday are Bridesburg Recreation Center, 4625 Richmond St.; East Poplar, 820 N. 8th St.; and Jacobs, 4500 Linden Ave.

The full schedule is listed below.

Philadelphia 2023 pool closing schedule

Sunday, Aug. 13

  1. Barry Pool – 1800 Johnston St., 19145

  2. F.J. Myers Pool – 5800 Chester Ave., 19143

  3. Johnny Sample (Cobbs Creek) Pool – 280 Cobbs Creek Pkwy., 19139

  4. Lackman Pool – 1101 Bartlett St., 19115

  5. Sacks Pool – 400 Washington Ave., 19147

Monday, Aug. 14

  1. Bridesburg Recreation Center – 4625 Richmond St., 19137

  2. East Poplar Pool – 820 N. 8th St., 19123

  3. Jacobs Pool – 4500 Linden Ave., 19114

Tuesday, Aug. 15

  1. Ford Pool – 609 Snyder Ave., 19148

  2. Morris Estate Pool – 1610 W. Chelten Ave., 19126

Wednesday, Aug. 16

  1. Fletcher (Mill Creek) Pool – 743 N. 48th St., 19139

  2. Jardel Pool – 1400 Cottman Ave., 19111

  3. Piccoli Pool – 1501 E. Bristol Ave., 19124

Thursday, Aug. 17

  1. Cruz Playground – 1431 N. 6th St., 19122

  2. Fox Chase Pool – 7901 Ridgeway St., 19111

  3. Mander Pool – 2140 N. 33rd St., 19121

Friday, Aug. 18

  1. C.B. Moore Pool – 2551 N. 22nd St., 19132

  2. Feltonville Pool – 4726-4700 Ella St, Philadelphia, PA, 19120

  3. Lincoln Pool – 3201 Ryan Ave., 19136

Saturday, Aug. 19

  1. American Legion Pool – 6201 Torresdale Ave., 19135

  2. Marian Anderson Pool – 740 S. 17th St., 19146

  3. Northern Liberties Pool – 321 Fairmount Ave., 19123

Sunday, Aug. 20

  1. Cherashore Pool – 851–951 W. Olney Ave., 19120

  2. Hancock Pool – 147 Master St., 19122

  3. Kendrick Pool – 5822 Ridge Ave., 19128

  4. Lawncrest Pool – 6000 Rising Sun Ave., 19111

Monday, Aug. 21

  1. Athletic Pool – 1401 N. 26th St., 19121

  2. Houseman Pool – 5091 Summerdale Ave., 19124

Tuesday, Aug. 22

  1. Francisville Pool – 1737 Francis St., 19130

  2. O’Connor Pool – 2601 South St., 19146

  3. Waterloo Pool – 2502 N. Howard St., 19133

Wednesday, Aug. 23

  1. Butch Ellis Pool (39th & Olive) – 700 N. 39th St., 19104

  2. Simpson Pool – 1010 Arrott St., 19124

Thursday, Aug. 24

  1. Lonnie Young Pool – 1100 E. Chelten Ave., 19138

  2. Pleasant Pool – 6720 Boyer St., 19119

Friday, Aug. 25

  1. Dendy Pool – 1501-39 N. 10th St., 19122

  2. Mitchell Pool – 3700 Whitehall Ln., 19114

Saturday, Aug. 26

  1. Lee Pool – 4328 Haverford Ave., 19104

Sunday, Aug. 27

  1. Cione Pool – 2600 E. Aramingo Ave., 19125

  2. J. Finnegan Pool – 6801 Grovers Ave., 19142

Monday, Aug. 28

  1. Chew Pool – 1800 Washington Ave., 19146

  2. Heitzman Pool – 2136 Castor Ave., 19134

Tuesday, Aug. 29

  1. Stinger Square Pool – 1400 S. 32nd St., 19146

Wednesday, Aug. 30

  1. Shepard Pool – 5700 Haverford Ave., 19131

Thursday, Aug. 31

  1. Gathers Pool – 2501 Diamond St., 19121

Friday, Sept. 1

  1. Awbury Pool – 6101 Ardleigh St., 19138

  2. Christy Pool – 728 S. 55th St., 19143

  3. Scanlon Pool – 1099 E. Tioga St., 19134

Saturday, Sept. 2

  1. Belfield Pool – 2109 W. Chew Ave., 19138

  2. Kelly Pool – 4231 Lansdowne Dr., 19131

  3. Lederer (Fishtown) Pool – 1219–25 E. Montgomery Ave., 19125

  4. Penrose Pool - 1101 W. Susquehanna Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19122

Monday, Sept. 4

  1. Baker Pool – 5433 Lansdowne Ave., 19131

  2. Hunting Park Pool – 900 Hunting Park Ave., 19140

  3. Murphy Pool – 300 W. Shunk St., 19148

  4. Ridgway Pool – 1301 Carpenter St., 19147

  5. Vogt Pool – 4131 Unruh Ave., 19135

Wednesday, Sept. 6

  1. M.L. King, Jr. Pool – 2101 Cecil B. Moore Ave., 19121

  2. Shuler Pool – 3000 N. 27th St., 19132

  3. Tustin Pool – 5901 W. Columbia Ave., 19151