for years public pools remained a thing of my suburban childhood: my mother and her perfectly tanned skin, mine burned to a crisp, and the sloshing of chlorinated water in my ears for hours, never clearing until after dinner in our air-conditioned sunroom. they were uncrowded, casual and part of a small community. though i've lived in new york off and on now for twelve years, it took moving to astoria, ny to be reminded that community can and still does exist fervently in the the five boroughs.
i was reminded of this vividly when i ventured west from my apartment last week to astoria park to take a dip in the astoria park public pool. it is the largest of the "robert moses 11" -- an enormous outdoor pool free to the public that opened in 1936, boasting an average capacity of 5,000 people. as a grad student/waitress studying to teach elementary aged kids i'm always looking for ways to save money, particularly when trying to cool off and/or exercise. so when i was told that this pool is FREE i dropped by mid-day, on opening day, to see if it's my kinda pool. 'cause a free pool in walking distance of my house?! and i thought being able to see my job from my apartment window was a NYC miracle.
i didn't find the idyllic suburban pool, but i found something worth taking advantage of, for sure. the ups: it's BIG, it's COLD and it's FREE. it's a vibrant ambiance with happy gleeful families enjoying the sun, the water and the snack bar. you're not going to find a tranquil, serene dip due to the crowds (i had to wait in line when arriving at 1:00pm as they controlled capacity) but as with most else in NYC, the peace is found in taking a moment to simply look up and take in the enormity and breadth of what surrounds you. with views of the triboro bridge, astoria park, manhattan and the east river while i cooled off in the early summer heat wave, the crowds faded away. and if it's exercise you seek, swing by between 7 and 8:30 am, when free adult lap swimming is available.
the need to knows: bathing suits and locker pad-locks are required but don't fret if you show up empty handed for there are men selling both outside of the pool (yes, i had to buy a lock). water bottles are allowed, but other food and drink are not so don't be shocked when people ask to look in your bag as you enter. electronics are not allowed in the pool area, but there are wonderful places around the outside of the pool structure from which you can take pics of it all, if you so desire.
the most important tip of all: bring a pair of waterproof flip-flops. alas, crowds in wet places do not lend themselves well to clean and tidy locker-rooms. :)
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