![]() The New Deal led to the biggest burst of public pools in American history. While public pools are a rarer sight today, governments built enormous pools during the twentieth century. Sixty-four percent of Black children, 45% percent of Hispanic children and 40% of White children have no or low swimming ability, the study found. Today, 79% of children in families with household incomes less than $50,000 have no or low swimming ability, according to a 2018 study. “Poor and working-class Americans suffered most directly from the privatizing of swimming pools,” writes Jeff Wiltse, a historian at University of Montana, in “Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America.” The retreat of government and privatization of swimming pools and recreation has hurt poor and minority groups hardest, historians and public recreation experts say. There is one outdoor public pool for every 38,000 people in America - from 34,000 in 2015 - according to the National Recreation and Park Association. Private pools, like these in Southern California, have replaced public pools in recent decades. “We’ve seen the complete erosion of the public side of this equation,” Kahrl said. “We’ve gotten to a point where a lot of the recreation taking place in the summers is happening in private spaces or in places with lack of support,” said Andrew Kahrl, a historian at the University of Virginia and author of “The Land Was Ours: How Black Beaches Became White Wealth in the Coastal South.” But, strapped for funding, many local governments have neglected public pools. Giant municipal pools were built in the first half of the twentieth century, and desegregating public pools was a key target of the civil rights movement. It’s bigger than just a pool,” said Louisville Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins, who represents the district.Īccess to swimming pools has long been hotly contested in America. And seniors can’t participate in Aqua Zumba fitness classes held at Algonquin during the summer to help them stay active. Kids and teens won’t have a key place to gather and play during the summer months when school is off. Some will miss out on a chance to learn how to swim, get more comfortable in the water, and build life-saving skills. ![]() Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network/Imagn This summer, as temperatures climb to the 90s in Louisville, Algonquin is closed for repairs, leaving around 60,000 people - most of whom are Black and middle-or-lower income households - without convenient access to the water.Īlgonquin Pool at 1614 Cypress St. Today, the city has five public pools for a population of around 640,000, ranking 89 out of the largest 100 cities in swimming pools per person, according to Trust for Public Land, an advocacy organization for public parks and land.Īlgonquin is the only pool left in West Louisville, and residents say the city has neglected basic maintenance and improvements for years. In the early 2000s, Louisville had 10 public pools for a population of around 550,000. “If the public pool isn’t available and open, you don’t swim,” Sutton said. A legacy of segregation, the privatization of pools, and starved public recreation budgets have led to the decline of public places to swim in many cities. Pools have become harder to find for Americans who lack a pool in their backyard, can’t afford a country club, or don’t have a local YMCA. Yet just as public pools become more important than ever, they’re disappearing from sight. Heat kills more Americans than any other weather-related disaster, according to data tracked by the National Weather Service. But as climate change and extreme heat worsen, they are taking on an urgent public health role. Public pools have played a critical role in American culture over the past century. “There was an organized effort on the part of government to keep children engaged with an activity.” That makes a big statement” against segregation, he said. The group in 2021 celebrated the 20th anniversary of their multi-platinum album, Morning View.Adults take swimming lessons at Algonquin pool in Louisville during the summer of 2022. Incubus was set to perform at the AMP alongside Sublime with Rome and The Aquadolls last August, but cancelled “due to unforeseen circumstances.”įormed in 1991, Grammy-nominated Incubus has sold over 23 million albums and had five consecutive Top 5 debuts in the Billboard charts. Tickets can be purchased at or by calling 47 or visiting the Walmart AMP or Walton Arts Center box offices. The concert is scheduled for Friday, May 26. Multi-platinum rockers Incubus will perform at the Walmart AMP with Coheed and Cambria this year, officials announced Tuesday.
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