Activists young and old protest closed city pools

It wasn't the usual dress code for a meeting at City Hall.

But a bathing suit was appropriate attire for some children at a rally yesterday calling upon Mayor Nutter to open all 73 of the city's public pools this summer.

About 50 children and adult protesters stood behind an empty plastic pool, wearing floatation devices and towels and holding handmade signs, to draw attention to the 27 pools that will remain dry this summer because the city cannot afford to open them.

The group of children, parents, and community activists chanted slogans including "Mayor Nutter, Turn on the Water" and "Stop Balancing the Budget on the Backs of Our Children." The Coalition to Save the Libraries and nine other community groups organized the protest.

Tahkeam Williams, 9, of South Philadelphia, said he had a good reason to attend the 90-minute-long protest.

"It's not that much fun without the pool," he said. "We used to jump in it, play tag in the pool. We had a lot of fun in the pool."

For the adults, the loss of a pool means children have fewer places to cool off in their neighborhood on a hot day.

"The kids need somewhere to go, something to do besides be bad," said Jean Mills of Southwest Philadelphia.

Irene Russel, a parent leader with the community group ACORN, agreed.

"My kids want to swim," she said. "They want to swim today. They want to swim tomorrow when it's 80 degrees."

The protesters assembled at the northwest corner of City Hall and went to outside the mayor's office. Officials said Nutter was in Harrisburg, but his chief of staff, Clay Armbrister, spoke to the group.

"It is not a decision we wanted to make, but [it was] forced upon us" by the economic crisis," he said. "We are in a very, very dire economic situation."

Arbrister said the city initially had money only to open 10 pools, but additional funds and contributions made it possible to operate 46.

Susan Slawson, the city's recreation commissioner, said it takes about $60,000 to operate a pool for a season. Even if more money became available, there isn't enough time, she added.

"We are already two weeks into pool season," she said.

A plan for next summer, to be announced soon, would allow neighborhood residents to donate funds to keep specific pools open, she added.

Some protesters likened not reopening pools in certain areas of Philadelphia to the discrimination charges against the Valley Club as a result of the cancellation of the contract with the Creative Steps day camp.

"What the Valley swim club did to that day camp, the City of Philadelphia is doing to thousands of young people every day, and we will not stand for it," said Eric Braxton, an organizer with the Coalition to Save Libraries. His group first protested the closing of libraries announced last November.

Slawson said race and social class played no role in whether to open a pool.

"I don't know how anyone can come up with a comparison like that," Slawson said.

She said the decision to reopen a pool was based on a number of factors, including the average usage from last season, size, condition, location, and accessibility by foot.

But where the pools were opened was not evenly distributed across the city, said the protesters, who held rallies in five neighborhoods where pools remained closed.

For example, in the Northwest, nearly all of the pools were opened while in Fishtown and South Philadelphia, less than half of the pools were opened.

For Tahkeam, 9, next summer could not come soon enough.

"I'm going to protest out here until Mayor Nutter opens up our pool," he said.

"I won't," joked his twin brother, Markell.