Newark Pool Operation Procedures

Mayor Cory Booker started the Super Summer 2009 Program this month; however Newark residents don't feel so super about how they have been treated at the city swimming pools. This month 65 Black & Hispanic children were denied access to the Valley Club pool in P.A. because they feared it would "…Change the complexion of the pool...” However in our inner city communities, where the complexions are a wide spectrum of yellows, browns & blacks, our children & adults are once again being denied access to the swimming pools, but this time it is due to city pool employees making up their own rules.

These policies include but are not limited to:
1. Closing the pool before the posted closing time. Today I called the pool at 2:14 PM & was told that the pool was closing at 6PM. The posted closing time was 6:30PM.
2. Blocking patrons & turning them away from even entering the pool area before the posted time of closing. Today I watched as myself & scores of other children & adults were turned away form the JFK swimming pool at 5 PM when the pool was scheduled to close at 6:30 PM. Later at the Boyland Street Center swimming pool on South Orange Avenue, I saw a similar thing happen.
3. Bullying & harassing patrons who voice their concern for the injustice of being subjected to unfair & unethical practices. Today employees verbally assaulted patrons who questioned the logic of the early closings.
4. Not opening on time because staff isn’t showing up on time. Many times we would show up to swim on time, just to find out that all the life guards are not at their stations.
5. Having whole sections of the pool closed off to swimming, even though they have the adequate number of life guards to watch the entire pool. Life guards seem to be more interested in holding conversations or hanging out than working.
6. Closing the dive boards while the pool is open, this sould have a life guard posted at all times that have enough getting paid to do so but not doing their jobs.
7. Not doing scheduled maintenance of the pool i.e. cleaning during slow days or hours as to avoid interrupting the scheduled hours of operation.
8. Not announcing sufficiently ahead of time the scheduled routine maintenance times so as to avoid patrons wasting time, energy & gas to show up to a closed pool.
9. Reducing the hours of operation of the pool from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM. There is nothing super about this. The hours of operation should be the same in the summer as it is in the spring/winter hours or longer. Its makes no sense that the hours have been reduced in the summer, that is just plain stupid. This is the time that people need to come to the pool & cool off.

These are only a few complaints about the running of the city’s swimming pools. I am sure the Mayor who I voted for, is unaware that these detestable acts are happening on his watch, so it is our duty as citizens of Newark to bring these matters to his attention.