Bronx's "Floating Lady" Pool Attendance Down - MTA Bus Cuts Blamed

Despite near record heat this Summer, Barretto Point Park’s floating pool (seen here after swimming hours) has experienced a drop in attendance (7,300 less visitors this year than last) since the MTA shuttle, which once brought swimmers, was discontinued. The shuttle bus first came to the area in 2008 to help transport kids to the pool and was supposed to stay for three-years. NYC Ranks dead last for a high density city for providing public swimming pools. (Photo: Natalie Keyssar/Metro)

Bronx

The hot, muggy weather means attendance at nearly every public pool citywide is up this summer. But not at the Barretto Point Park floating pool, which has seen 7,300 less visitors this year than last, according to MetroNY.

That’s because kids have no way to get there, say some. In June, the MTA eliminated a shuttle bus that took kids from the South Bronx to the Hunts Point pool to save $100,000.

“It’s been almost the hottest July on record. Numbers should be up,” said Adam Liebowitz, of the Point Community Development Corporation. “In previous summers you had to wait on line 20, 30 minutes before you could go in. But now I’ve heard the lines are gone. It’s obviously because of the lack of public transportation.”

The shuttle bus first came to the area in 2008 to help kids get there and was supposed to stay for a three-year period.  

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Bronx pool gets quiet in heat wave

Metro NY - August 16, 2010 - By Carly Baldwin