Cerulean blue has been applied to the pool's floor. (Photos: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)
Brooklyn
By Geoffrey Croft
The long anticipated reopening of the McCarren Park Pool is set for June 28. $50 million dollars has been spent to renovate the pool and year-round recreation center, as well as to preserve and restore the historic bathhouse building and entry arch. The new pool will accommodate 1,500 swimmers, a decrease of 700. The pool was closed in 1983 and became one of the Parks Department's most public symbols of neglect. The city began renovating the pool in 2009.
Aerial shot of the McCarren Park pool.
The $50 million facility boasts a 37,9500-square-foot pool, which will accommodate 1,500 swimmers and eight 25-meter lap lanes; a beach; spray showers; and a restored year-round recreation center with a gym, basketball court, weight room, dance studio, cardio room, and multipurpose community space. Wood panels recycled from the Coney Island boardwalk are among the decorative features.
Restored basketball court.
The pool has been reduced significantly from four Olympic-sized swimming pools to two. Originally it was 54,440 square feet and accommodated 2,200 swimmers. The once-glorious diving pool has been replaced by a beach volleyball court.
When asked at a City Council hearing in March if the McCarren Park Pool would be excluded from the proposed budget cuts which would close pools two weesk early, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe paused and chose his words carefully, "That's a safe bet."
When asked at a City Council hearing in March if the McCarren Park Pool would be excluded from the proposed budget cuts which would close pools two weesk early, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe paused and chose his words carefully, "That's a safe bet."
The historic pool in McCarren Park (formerly Greenpoint Park) is on the border between Williamsburg and Greenpoint in Brooklyn. It first opened on July 31, 1936, with great fanfare. During the inaugural ceremonies, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia claimed, "No pool anywhere has been as much appreciated as this one."
It was one of 11 giant pools opened in consecutive weeks during the summer of 1936. It was constructed by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses under the Works Progress Administration.
It was one of 11 giant pools opened in consecutive weeks during the summer of 1936. It was constructed by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses under the Works Progress Administration.
The benches are made of reclaimed wood from the Coney Island Boardwalk.
Applying Cerulean blue.
(Photos: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)
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