On these unquenchably hot dog days of summer, many of us long for a cool refreshing dip in the pool or perhaps the waters of a beach or swimming hole. Unless you have access to a private pool or beach house, you may continue longing for that cool dip.
There’s a shortage of public swimming facilities in our region. There are public pools in Middletown, Beacon, New Paltz and Bear Mountain, but the City of Newburgh Aquatic Center has been dry and overgrown with grass since the summer of 2019. The city has been looking at plans for a new pool, but it will be at least 2025 before the lifeguard’s whistle is again heard.
The town of New Windsor is also looking at plans for a pool in the Kristi Babcock Park Complex. It has been more than two decades since New Windsor operated Crestview Lake on what is now airport property off Route 747.
‘What was once where families gathered, kids laughed and made new friends, memories were preserved, is now an empty slab where the building once stood and murky, swampy, vegetated water,” notes a comment the Crestview Lake Facebook Page.
The Village of Walden operates a public swimming area in the James W. Olley Community Park, but with limited hours (weekdays, 12-5 p.m. until August 17.)
Our communities lose something when these public swimming places are closed. A public swimming pool provides more than just physical fitness. It serves as a vibrant nucleus that fosters numerous benefits for the community in which it is located.
The public pool becomes a venue where friendships are forged, relationships are nurtured and social barriers are broken down. Children splash and laugh together, teenagers build friendships, adults bond over laps and seniors engage in water-based exercises. This confluence of people fosters social interactions, promotes inclusivity and encourages the development of a strong sense of community.
Studies have shown the effects of water on mental health and stress relief. Swimming is also associated with the release of endorphins, promoting a positive mood and reducing anxiety and depression levels.
Moreover, public pools can save lives. Mara Gay noted in a recent New York Times op-ed that drowning is one of the leading causes of death, particularly in young people. An estimated 4,000 people in America die by drowning every year, a largely overlooked health crisis. Gay refers to a Red Cross survey in noting that more than half the population lacks basis swimming abilities. Most of them have never had a swimming lesson.
More public pools could lead to more public swimming programs and the lessening of a serious health crisis. Learning to swim is not just a leisure activity; it is a life skill. By offering swimming lessons and water safety programs, a public pool equips individuals, especially children, with essential lifesaving abilities. These skills contribute to reducing drowning incidents and accidents around water bodies, providing an invaluable service to the community.
A safe place to swim, much like the public library, promotes a sense of well being and harmony in the community. They help build and preserve a sense of community.
Every American deserves a place to swim.