Philadelphia Public Pools Project
Philadelphia has more outdoor public swimming pools than any city in the United States. Free and open to all, our 70 outdoor pools are sites of glee and respite, engagement with neighbors and refuge from the hot city streets. Unfortunately, in recent summers, many have been closed because of a lifeguard shortage.
In Summer 2022, photographer Rocco Avallone set out to document all our outdoor public pools, whether filled with water or growing weeds. Along the way, he talked with swimmers, lifeguards and other pool champions. Including dedicated community members from across the city who are working to address a core root cause of the lifeguard shortage: The fact that nearly all of Philadelphia’s year-round, indoor public pools are closed. Which means – among other things – that our children are not learning to swim. And that there’s no lifeguard pipeline.
Together, we can get our year-round indoor pools reopened – and ensure, in future summers, that all our outdoor pools have the lifeguards they need to open. A portion of the proceeds from your purchase here will support #IDeserve2Swim, a powerful grassroots coalition that is leading the way. You can also sign up here to get more involved.
-Mica Root, Swimming Philadelphia
