When the Colonial Park recreational pool was set up back in the 1930's, it became an oasis for city kids in the summer but that was not always the case. The park that spans the lower half of the promontory cliff of Edgecombe Avenue (from 145th to 155th Street), now known as Jackie Robinson Park, also went through some rough times as per one of our reader's comments:
"I lived a few blocks away from Colonial Park on w.145st between Broadway and Amsterdam and was in easy walking distance to this park and pool.
Unfortunately in the mid '60's and 70's this park was dangerous and we could not use this pool as kids were often jumped and robbed if we appeared not to be of the immediate neighborhood.
Instead we would travel up to Highbridge Park and Pool. At this time Washington Heights and the surrounding areas was beautifully maintained clean and safe. We would rather travel to Highbridge rather than go to Colonial which was sad as it was a beautiful pool and fairly well kept park.
I'm glad to see the park has been restored as it truly went down hill in the '70's."
The top photo shows the armory-like structure that fronts the pool and one can actually see the pool when walking by the south end (lower image). See the original history of the park in our past post: LINK. Photos by Ulysses
Actually, the relative safety of this pool did not return until @ the late 1990's.
ReplyDeleteI have heard from people in the neighborhood that this pool is now notorious for its strict rules. Probably a good thing.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Parks Dept. personnel have upheld rules and regs a bit more stringently than perhaps at other neighborhood pools. But, as long as the kids are safe and having fun, it's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI read on Harlem4Kids that actually it's not so safe anymore. A few parents were there with their kids when the pool staff and parks staff were overrun by the line and everyone was pushed into the pool while people pushed their way in. The police had to come and shut it down. Several people have said to steer clear.
ReplyDeleteI live a couple blocks away from the pool, I'm 9 months pregnant and have been a few times during my pregnancy and find it clean and safe. I look forward to taking my daughter there next summer.
ReplyDeleteOh lord! Really? I didn't hear of that episode.
ReplyDeleteOk, so I went to the website "Harlem 4 Kids" and can't seem to locate the blog portion, so anyway, maybe there will be no more *bum rush* mishaps.
ReplyDeleteAnd,congratualations Quiana!
The rules for all the public pools are pretty strict now I think. I go to Lasker and have never had a single problem. I read about the Robinson pool episode but that was just at the beginning of the summer and was more of a logistical problem I think. The pools opened during a heatwave so there were more people than expected.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a blog, but a yahoo group. If you sign up you can search old topics.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the pool at JR. I swim there every morning in the summer during the adult lap swim, from 7 to 8:30. There is a citywide program to count your laps, and if you reach 25 miles they give you a t-shirt. There's also a citywide celebration at the end of the summer, and the relay team from JR represented with a fourth place finish last summer.
ReplyDeleteAlso, they have a tot swim class that my wife took our son to, and she tells me it's fantastic. Swim classes are free at all the city pools.
About the incident, there's a big difference between getting jumped for going to a pool and the unruliness that comes with a large crowd in 100 degree heat. Every summer NYPD gets called to multiple city pools that get too crowded and things get out of control. I wouldn't recommend swimming at a city pool when the temperature hits 90 or above, especially on a weekend or the week after school lets out. But JR is a great place to be if it's not too crowded.
Thank you @Lovelyday!
ReplyDeleteI frequent this pool (I'm a teacher with summers off). I've never seen anything inappropriate occur at this pool. Also, the locker room is cleaner than the pool in Central Park off of Lenox and 110th, probably because there are less visiting camp groups.
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