Agrees it’s long past time for Pelham to have public pool
To the editor:
I write in strong support of the initiative to bring a public pool to Pelham. Unlike many other municipalities in Westchester, Pelham has very few public amenities. Although a “Sound Shore” town, those of us who live in the Village of Pelham, assuming we do not belong to the New York Athletic Club, have no access to the water, since we are not allowed to use Shore Park.
Many neighboring municipalities have beaches and/or public pools, including Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Scarsdale and others.
Unless one belongs to a private club, or has a yard big enough for a private pool, we have nowhere to swim in Pelham, nowhere that children (and adults) can learn to swim or enjoy the benefits of swimming as exercise. Willson’s Woods, while nearby, has no swimming area or lap lanes. Children enrolled in the Pelham Recreation summer program get bussed all the way up to Saxon Woods in White Plains for a few hours at the pool.
There have been several articles in the paper recently pointing out equity issues related to access to pools and swimming lessons, see “It’s Going to Be a Hot Summer. It Will Be Hotter if You’re Not Rich” and “Swimming Wasn’t for Us.” Other articles point out the life or death nature of this issue: “Parents with pools turn to survival swimming to keep kids safe….”
Seems like every other day we read a story about someone drowning in the Rockaways. We have equity and access issues close to home here in Pelham, some of which would be addressed with a pool open to all.
While some may say we need every inch of field space for children playing youth sports, I believe that other folks in town also need and deserve recreational opportunities. A town pool would benefit all Pelhamites, those too young for youth sports, those too old for youth sports and those who never had any interest whatsoever in Kindergarten soccer, but who would greatly benefit from and enjoy the use of a public pool.
I agree with previous letter writers, including a local real estate agent and the former head of Pelham Rec, that it’s long past time for Pelham to have a public pool and that it would make Pelham a more appealing place to move to and to live. Let’s make this happen!
Thank you very much.
Maryanne Joyce
142 Nyac Ave.
bob parisi • Jul 15, 2022 at 10:48 am
There is a beach, boat launch and PCRA at Glen Island. That’s more access to the water than you get at Shore Park. a community pool would be nice to have but impractical on a host of levels not the least of which are cost and space.
Harriet Smith • Jul 12, 2022 at 6:31 pm
Level down off boston post a fitness center has a very good pool. Before that was put in id agree with u. Lifehguard on duty and classes. A public pool in pelham will cost a lot of money. No im not a member of the country club but i use westcheter county pools all outstanding. Most of the time they arent too crowded either. I think to go this route a clear list of costs to users and taxpayers has to be sorted out. Im really not interested in a mega tax hike for a pool that may not be used that much. Costs for upgrades for the county pools were in the multimillions and we already pay county tax for them. Fortunately using them is 10 dollars plus parking quite affordable.