Urban oasis
Philadelphia built the first outdoor city pool in 1884, and it served as a blueprint that other cities soon adopted. Today, public pools in Philly continue to be pockets of relief, even a lifeline, for many city residents who connect shuttered pools to the city’s gun crisis, an epidemic that tends to spike along with the temperature. This photo series explores how each city pool reflects the unique charm and character of its neighborhood, and the value it holds to residents.
Diane Scott, right, hugs Stephanie Mackey and Mylayiah Mackey, 9, outside of Athletic Pool in the Brewerytown neighborhood of Philadelphia
A memorial for Ahmad Abrams, 18, sits at the base of a tree by the 1400 block of North 27th Street in the Brewerytown neighborhood of Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. Abrams was shot and killed on June 18, just nine days before the city pool opened where his grandmother, Diane Scott, worked at the nearby Athletic Recreation Center.
