The East Harlem swimming pool that was closed due to the earthquake reopens with a splash of water

Nine years after an earthquake in New Jersey caused a swimming pool in East Harlem to close due to a crack in its foundation, it has finally been repaired and the pool reopened.

Six hundred second graders are ready to impress.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at River East Elementary School on Oct. 25, marking the reopening of the pool that will give East Harlem District 4 public school second-graders access to free swimming lessons.

The pool — and swim program — was reopened thanks to the Wave Makers Initiative, a collaboration between the nonprofit Asphalt Green, the Gray Foundation, and the offices of New York City Council members Julie Minn of UES and Shekhar Krishnan. Which represents Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Woodside.

Menen and Krishnan co-sponsored a City Council resolution passed in 2023 that for the first time would require all city second-graders in the public school system to receive free swimming lessons.

But when the city faced a $7 billion budget shortfall later that year, the $5.2 million allocated to the learn-to-swim program was cut. Although earlier this year, funds for some park programs were restored and Mayor Adams found money to reopen city libraries on Sundays, the budget never reached the $5.2 needed to put the swimming program on track.

According to the New York City Council, 68 percent of New York City residents lack access to swimming pools, many public school pools remain inactive, and one in four children in New York City still cannot swim. Asphalt Green believes its River East Elementary programs can serve as a blueprint for other school pools in New York City, and help rapidly expand access to swimming instruction.

The ceremony was attended by officials from Asphalt Green, New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles Ramos, and City Council Vice President Diana Ayala, as well as several Olympic and world championship medalists, including Anthony Irvin, president of the Stand By Me Swimming Foundation, as well as Dylan Burgess. , a former member of the Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics (AGUA) team.

“I am extremely proud of the continued expansion of the Wave Makers Initiative that I launched with the Gray Foundation, Asphalt Green, and Council Member Shekhar Krishnan,” said Council Member Julie Menen. “I look forward to the expansion of this program and its continued success.”

The pool at River East Elementary School was decommissioned in 2015 after an earthquake in New Jersey, said David Ludwig, senior director of community programs at Asphalt Green.

“[The earthquake] “This caused a crack in the pool’s foundation, and the pool has since been closed,” Ludwig said.

“It's bigger than a lot of the pools inside public school buildings, so it's got six lanes, 25 yards long. It's got really spacious locker rooms and a nice pool deck. It even has a little bit of seating on the court. So “It’s just a cool, up-to-date place.”

In the fall of 2023, Asphalt Green conducted a feasibility study to determine what would be needed to rehabilitate the facility, which was submitted to the School Building Authority. Eventually, the School Facilities Department was able to get the group back online.

In addition to Wave Makers, Asphalt Green plans to offer after-school aquatics programs at River East to allow children the ability to swim competitively through the AGUA Swim Team (sponsored in part by the Stand By Me Swimming Foundation).

“We are very excited to bring Wave Makers and our other popular water programs to River East,” said Jordan Brackett, CEO of Asphalt Green.

“Every child deserves free and equal access to swimming education, which can not only save lives, but change them. We hope the partnerships we have built to bring this pool back online will inspire similar projects across the five boroughs.”

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