Pop-Up Pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park Extended for Another Summer

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — The Pop-Up Pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park will stay open for another summer.

After five years in operation, the pool had been scheduled to close after this summer, when its funding ran out. At that point, Brooklyn Bridge Park had intended to roll the pool's space into three new acres of parkland at the Pier 2 Uplands. It had also pledged to find a spot for a permanent pool.

But a community organization called Love Our Pool, along with State Sen. Daniel Squadron, Councilman Stephen Levin, and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, had pushed for the swimming space to remain open.

A survey conducted by the supporters found that 63 percent of the pool's users came from neighborhoods other than Brooklyn Heights, with 72 percent visiting at least once a month and 80 percent describing it as the park's most valuable asset.

A total of 872 community members also signed a petition backing the pool's continued operation.

"We've heard from the community," Brooklyn Bridge Park president Regina Myer said this week in a statement. "We all love the Pop-Up Pool, and keeping it for one more season gives us more time to pursue the best solution for everyone: a larger, permanent pool for Brooklyn Bridge Park. We look forward to working with the community and our elected officials to fund the permanent pool."

The exact details of the arrangement that kept the pool open have yet to be released. In June, Belinda Cape, the Vice-President of Strategic Partnerships for Brooklyn Bridge Park, told Patch that funding remained a central issue.

“The temporary pool has been a great success," Cape said. "And although we do not have funding at this time for a full-size permanent pool, we look forward to working with our elected officials to secure the necessary funds to achieve this goal."

Cape said Thursday that she didn't have further details on where the funding for the extra year had come from, adding that, "We are still in the process of getting cost estimates for the work necessary to keep the pool operational for another year."

Cape said that in past years, the pool was run by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, at an annual cost of "approximately $75,000."

She also said the extension wouldn't be repeated, adding that it would be in effect for just "one more summer."

“This is a huge victory for the community and park goers now and into the future," Squadron said in a statement on Wednesday. "It shows that a community-driven effort, strong partnerships and a successful amenity can change minds and make a real difference."

Image courtesy of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo by Etienne Frossard.