The +POOL project has been in the works for years, and received an official “confirmation to proceed with due diligence” from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) after two years of review with the city organization in May of 2021.
Now, almost three more years later, NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NY Governor Kathy Hochul announced the pool will finally be installed and tested this summer and, after passing all health and safety requirements, is scheduled to be opened to the public next year (2025).
+POOL — taking its name from the proposed shape, which will offer four different pools for “kids, lap swimmers, loungers, and splashers” — is a floating pool that will contain over 600,000 gallons of fresh, clean, water filtered directly from the East River.
You can see more details and plans on their very thorough website here, but the pool will filter river water right through its very walls (acting almost like a “strainer” dropped in the river) to leave only safe, swimmable water in the pool (that meets local and state standards, of course).
They hope to allow New Yorkers to “swim” in the East River again like decades past, without having to wait until the entire body of water is decontaminated. It hopes to “reclaim the river as a recreational resource for the city, while educating the public about issues affecting our water quality.” The pool would be the first accessible, safe river space since 1938.
Recently, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams shared that access to pools is “a matter of justice.” +POOL intends to be accessible to everyone, similar to previous NYC projects like the High Line.
The pool will be jointly funded by the city and state. It will be tested this summer and, after fulfilling all health and safety requirements, is scheduled to be opened to the public next year.