Independent Friends of McCarren Park Inc.

McCarren Park Pool was one of 10 new pools opened during The Depression as part of WPA projects in New York City. It was created to provide recreation, generate employment, and elevate moral during a slowed economy. It was one of the largest public pools at that time, with a capacity of nearly 7000. The progeny of the Moses administration and a model for public spaces in New York City and its boroughs, this enormous pool was a boon to the neighborhood's residents. The McCarren Park Pool is not unique. There exist similar pools in similar disrepair, neglected for decades in communities that desperately need more access to public amenities. Our hope is to document the year-long public design process, and our own design process into a replicable format accessible to other communities facing similar challenges.

To emerge from the thicket of local disagreement about the design we will broaden our perspective. More than thirty years of lack of investment in this public asset (dating back to the 70’s), lack of political power within the community and and lack of strong community leadership are problems. We’ve made significant progress in the past year and a half a significant outreach campaign to organizations beyond Independent Friends has begun, however we are still faced with real and perceived community conflict and lack of knowledge about progress. Past conflicts have led some people to attach to one proposal or another without an awareness that a middle ground can be established and incorporated into a refined design.