Lifeguard shortages and maintenance issues are forcing BCYF to keep a number of city pools closed throughout the summer and Charlestown’s only outdoor pool has fallen victim to the ongoing issues.
At last week’s City Council hearing, Councilor Gabriela Coletta asked Boston’s Chief of Human Services Jose Masso to elaborate on rumors the Clougherty Pool on Bunker Hill Street would be closed for the summer.
The pool has been an oasis for neighborhood children and families throughout the hot summer months, especially during heat waves when BCYF expands hours at ‘cooling centers’ like neighborhood pools.
“I have heard that because that pool was built in 1940 it needs significant investments and I don’t know if you have an update on that or if it’s going to be open this year,” Coletta asked Masso who oversees BCYF as chief of Human Services. “Will you be able to tell the community what’s going on with the pool?”
Masso said the city recently got a third party assessment on what work needs to be done to Charlestown’s pool and whether or not it was safe to open.
“The third party assessment will give us more information about the actual infrastructure and whether or not it is feasible to actually open it for the summer,” said Masso last week.
However, this week BCYF announced the pool would in fact be closed for the season.
“BCYF will not open the BCYF Clougherty Pool for the summer 2022 season,” BCYF said in a statement. “The condition of the Clougherty Pool facility has raised serious safety concerns, and we are unwilling to jeopardize the safety of the pool’s patrons and the staff. The nearby BCYF Charlestown Community Center pool is open. It will remain open over the summer, and a little over two miles away, we operate another outdoor pool, the BCYF Mirabella Pool on Commercial Street in the North End.”
BCYF said in addition, the city will redeploy lifeguards throughout the city’s network to open three other pools to expand its aquatic outreach throughout the city.
“All aquatics programming is free, and more information can be found at boston.gov/BCYF-Aquatics,” said the statement.