REMARKS
Inequitable access to pools across NYC boroughs
0:05:20
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73 sec
Council Member Krishnan highlights the significant disparities in access to public pools across New York City's boroughs. He emphasizes the need for better resource allocation to address these inequities.
- Access to pools varies greatly by borough: 65% of Manhattan residents can walk to a pool in 15 minutes, compared to only 12% in Queens
- 18 council districts, including the council member's own, have no public pools
- Areas like Lower Manhattan, South Brooklyn, and most of Queens lack sufficient pool access
- The council member stresses the need to focus resources on building more pools in underserved areas
Shekar Krishnan
0:05:20
As these communities simply do not have that easy access to pools and swimming instruction, and other water recreation.
0:05:28
Using a similar metric that is typically used to determine access to open space, 65% of Manhattan residents are able to walk to a pool in 15 minutes or less.
0:05:39
Followed by the Bronx, were 34%, Brooklyn, were 31%, Staten Island, were 19%, and Queens with only 12% of its residents able to walk to a pool in 15 minutes or less.
0:05:55
And my district that I represent as the Park's chair of Jackson Heights and Elmhurst, not only do we have the least amount of green space in all of New York City, we do not have a single public pool in my entire council district.
0:06:10
Further, although there are 64 parks locations that contain pools, there are 18 council districts, like my own, that currently have no pools.
0:06:19
This includes areas like Lower Manhattan, South Brooklyn, and most of Queen's.
0:06:25
Clearly, we can.
0:06:27
We must do better with focusing our resources on where we can build more pools.
