Bucking the national trend, all available public pools are expected to open this summer, with free swim lessons and continued lifeguard training
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Interim Commissioner Orlando Rendon today announced that the City will open 61 pools this summer, representing all of the outdoor public pools available for use. Public pools will open on a rolling basis beginning today, June 14. City pools will open a week earlier than last year, and on the first day of summer break for School District of Philadelphia students.
New this year, all public pools will host mandatory swim lessons for Parks & Recreation’s 6,000 summer campers. The City’s popular SwimPhilly program returns, with 10 public pools receiving the private swim club design treatment. The ten SwimPhilly pools were selected based on community health and safety data, and represent many pools that have been unable to open since 2020 due to the lifeguard shortage.
“Thanks to hundreds of dedicated residents who stepped up and answered our call to work as lifeguards, we are bucking the national trend and on track to open 100% of available public pools this summer,” said Mayor Jim Kenny. “Our public pools are a sanctuary for residents on hot summer days, and an important place for communities to come together, relax, and recreate.”
With an identified workforce of approximately 700 pool staff, including 350 lifeguards and 350 pool maintenance attendants, the City is on track to safely open all available public pools this summer against the backdrop of a nationwide lifeguard shortage. All public pools offer free swimming lessons. Pool hours and details about swimming lessons are available on the Parks & Rec Finder App.
Forty-one public pools are scheduled to open this month. Twenty additional public pools will open on a rolling basis in early to mid-July. The 2023 pool opening schedule was developed based on equity, available staffing, and to maximize residents’ access to pools in every part of the city.
June 14 is the opening day of the public pool season. Pools in Hunting Park, Port Richmond, and Mill Creek will open. Last year the first pool opened in Fishtown on June 21.
“Our public pools are a beloved part of summer in the City and a great way to cool down, have fun, and stay active this summer,” said Interim Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Orlando Rendon. “Like every municipality, seaside town, and private pool in the country, Philadelphia was facing a dire lifeguard shortage. With the support of so many Philadelphians, we are proud to be able to open 100% of the available pools this summer, a critical step to providing free swim lessons and building Philadelphia’s pipeline of future lifeguards.”
Pool schedules will vary based on available staffing. In neighborhoods with multiple pools, nearby pools may operate on a split schedule to maximize community access.
Residents can also stay cool and have fun this summer by visiting any of the City’s 90+ spraygrounds, open seven days a week through Labor Day. Residents can search for all open pools and spray grounds near them using the Parks & Rec Finder App.
“With our first pools opening on June 14 this summer, young people can go straight from the classroom to the pool deck,” said Bill Salvatore, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s Deputy Commissioner of Programs. “We are opening pools earlier than ever and offering six weeks of swim lessons to thousands of summer campers, so there is a lot to be excited about on the public pool deck this year. None of it would be possible without the dedicated support of our incredible City lifeguards and pool maintenance attendants.”
Pool rules are available here. Parents and caregivers are responsible for watching their children in the pool deck. Any child under the age of eight must be within arms reach of their parent or guardian at all times when in the water.
The pool opening schedule is subject to change and is available on phila.gov/ppr. Pool schedules vary by location and are based on available staffing.
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
- Fletcher (Mill Creek) Pool — 743 N. 48th St., 19139
- Hunting Park Pool — 900 Hunting Park Ave., 19140
- Samuel Pool — 3539 Gaul St., 19134
Thursday, June 15, 2023
- Marian Anderson Pool — 740 S. 17th St., 19146
Friday, June 16, 2023
- Jacobs Pool — 4500 Linden Ave., 19114
- Kelly Pool — 4231 Lansdowne Dr., 19131
Saturday, June 17, 2023
- Feltonville Pool — 4726-4700 Ella St, Philadelphia, PA, 19120
- Ford Pool — 609 Snyder Ave., 19148
- Morris Estate Pool — 1610 W. Chelten Ave., 19126
Sunday, June 18, 2023
- Houseman Pool — 5091 Summerdale Ave., 19124
- Lackman Pool — 1101 Bartlett St., 19115
Monday, June 19, 2023
- Lawncrest Pool — 6000 Rising Sun Ave., 19111
- Pleasant Pool — 6720 Boyer St., 19119
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
- Bridesburg Pool — 4625 Richmond St., 19137
- Mander Pool — 2140 N. 33rd St., 19121
- Mitchell Pool — 3700 Whitehall Ln., 19114
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
- Johnny Sample (Cobbs Creek) Pool — 280 Cobbs Creek Pkwy., 19139
- Northern Liberties Pool — 321 Fairmount Ave., 19123
- Scanlon Pool — 1099 E. Tioga St., 19134
Thusday, June 22, 2023
- American Legion Pool — 6201 Torresdale Ave., 19135
Friday, June 23, 2023
- Jardel Pool — 1400 Cottman Ave., 19111
- Kendrick Pool — 5822 Ridge Ave., 19128
Saturday, June 24, 2023
- Francisville Pool — 1737 Francis St., 19130
- Christy Pool — 728 S. 55th St., 19143
Sunday, June 25, 2023
- O’Connor Pool — 2601 South St., 19146
- Piccoli Pool — 1501 E. Bristol Ave., 19124
- Sacks Pool — 400 Washington Ave., 19147
Monday, June 26, 2023
- Athletic Pool — 1401 N. 26th St., 19121
- Lederer (Fishtown) Pool — 1219-25 E Montgomery Ave., 19125
- Waterloo Pool — 2502 N. Howard St., 19133
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
- C.B. Moore Pool — 2551 N. 22nd St., 19132
- Ridgway Pool — 1301 Carpenter St., Philadelphia, PA, 19147
- Vogt Pool — 4131 Unruh Ave., 19135
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
- Chew Pool — 1800 Washington Ave., 19146
- East Poplar Pool — 820 N. 8th St., 19123
- Shepard Pool — 5700 Haverford Ave., 19131
Thursday, June 29, 2023
- Finnegan Pool — 6801 Grovers Ave., 19142
- Lonnie Young Pool — 1100 E. Chelten Ave., 19138
Friday, June 30, 2023
- Cione Pool — 2600 E. Aramingo Ave., 19125
- Simpson Pool — 1010 Arrott St., 19124
Saturday, July 1, 2023
- Awbury Pool — 6101 Ardleigh St., 19138
- F.J. Myers Pool — 5800 Chester Ave., 19143
- Hancock Pool — 147 Master St., 19122
Sunday, July 2, 2023
- Barry Pool — 1800 Johnston St., 19145
- Cherashore Pool — 851-951 W. Olney Ave., 19120
Monday, July 3, 2023
- Fox Chase Pool — 7901 Ridgeway St., 19111
- Lee Pool — 4328 Haverford Ave., 19104
- Lincoln Pool — 3201 Ryan Ave., 19136
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
- Butch Ellis Pool (39th & Olive) — 700 N. 39th St., 19104
- M.L. King, Jr. Pool — 2101 Cecil B. Moore Ave., 19121
- Murphy Pool — 300 W. Shunk St., 19148
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
- Heitzman Pool — 2136 Castor Ave., 19134
Pools expected to open after July 5, 2023
- Amos Pool — 1817 N. 16th St., 19121
- Baker Pool — 5433 Lansdowne Ave., 19131
- Belfield Pool — 2109 W. Chew Ave., 19138
- Cruz Playground — 1431 6th St., 19122
- Dendy Pool — 1501-39 N. 10th St., 19122
- Gathers Pool — 2501 Diamond St., 19121
- Shuler Pool — 3000 N. 27th St., 19132
- Stinger Square — 1400 S. 32nd St., 19146
- Tustin Pool — 5901 W. Columbia Ave., 19151
Turning the tides: Addressing the national lifeguard crisis
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation put programs in place over the past 18 months to address the national lifeguard shortage and build a pipeline of lifeguards in Philadelphia. These efforts have included:
- Offering a first-ever end-of-summer hiring bonus of $1000 to any candidate who applied to be a lifeguard by April 15, and a $500 bonus to any candidate who applied by May 15.
- Hosting the first ever Philly Phreeze lifeguard recruitment awareness and fundraising campaign. The Phreeze generated over 1 million in earned media and over $80,000 toward the City’s aquatics program.
- Offering Free lifeguard training 12 months a year. Interested candidates can sign up at phila.gov/lifeguards.
- Introducing a no-cost training and application process to any lifeguard candidate 24 or under. This includes free lifeguard training, free Red Cross LIfeguard Certification, and the cost of work clearances.
- Hosting teen pop-up pool events in summer 2022 to attract new young people to the swimming pool, and encourage them to build their swim skills.
- Piloting mandatory swim lessons at all Kensington summer camps in 2022. As the neighborhood with the lowest lifeguard recruitment numbers, PPR provided daily swim lessons to all registered summer campers. The successful initiative will expand Citywide this summer.
- Hosting a swimwear drive in partnership with the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC) to ensure everyone who wants to take a swim lesson or get in the pool has the appropriate swimwear to do so safely and comfortably.
