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Boston Opens Two Pools To The Public, With Restrictions

WBUR Newsroom

July 22, 2020

Children play in the Rings Fountain at the Rose Kennedy Greenway during a hot afternoon. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Coming off the heels of a four-day heatwave, two city pools will open to the public in Boston, starting Wednesday.

Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) Clougherty Pool in Charlestown and BCYF Mirabella Pool in the North End will be open, though Boston residents will have preference over non-residents, seven days a week through Labor Day, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced Tuesday.

Kids cool off on a hot afternoon. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

But because of the pandemic, there are several new rules for attending the pools, including:

You must make an online reservation for a 90-minute session; walk-ins are not allowed. You can register for one session per day.
Pools will only be at 40% capacity, which is about 75 people per session.
Online registration will go live 24 hours before the following day's sessions and will stay open until all the slots or taken, or it's halfway through the session.
You will be asked screening questions for the coronavirus when you register online and when you check in at the pool.
Come dressed to swim — locker rooms will be closed, but bathrooms will be open.
Everyone must wear a face covering, except when swimming in the pool.

More information about the rules and regulations is available at the city's website.

A young boy runs through a fountain. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

And if you're concerned about the spread of the coronavirus at a pool, the state cites the CDC in its rules and regulations for outdoor pools: "According to the CDC, there is currently no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools. Proper operation and maintenance (including disinfection with chlorine and bromine) of these facilities should inactivate the virus in the water."

The state recommendations for pools call for no more than 40% capacity; social distancing when possible; wearing masks when not swimming; and strict sanitation of the pool and common areas.

While the heat wave is over for now, the rest of the week will be hot, with temperatures in the 80s-90s.

Walsh said at a press conference on Tuesday that 20 BCYF community centers were open to the public over the weekend as cooling centers but that they were underused. He encouraged residents to use such centers when available to beat the heat, and to not crowd at the beaches in the city. When the centers are open as cooling centers, anyone using them must wear a face covering and stay six feet away from others.