Independent Friends of McCarren Park Inc.

We propose to build on the continuum of progress in community consensus building that has already begun. We see the transformation of the existing giant concrete basin into a performance venue as a strong beginning, however, we are committed to preserving the original program and the intended primary activity of the pool, swimming. We will continue the groundswell of our grassroots activism with outreach within the community and to the broader, national, restoration contingent. We include the community in the research and design process and will organize a broadly-advertised Conference and Community Design Workshop (CCDW). The CCDW will begin with a series of educational workshops to give the participants an understanding of the many facets of pool revitalization and sustainable architecture. Designers will lead small groups of participants to elicit desires and dreams. The professionals will provide models of successful and creative recreation centers such as Asphalt Green right here in New York, and provide technical information about sustainable architecture such as natural filtration of storm water run-off. The intent is to broaden the vision of what the pool can become. During all events an email list will be compiled to keep people informed throughout the entire process. The website, www.mccarrenparkpool.org, will function in a way in which people can express their opinions, become involved, and observe the development of the design. Kreger’s design team will incorporate and refine the information from the CCDW and a detailed site analysis into an intensive design process over six months with community groups and the Parks Department. He team will provide construction estimates. A partnership of the Parks Department and community organizations will ascertain which design best serves and reflects the community, Parks, and the city as a whole, and the national swimming community. Refined images of one design will serve as the basis for a public awareness campaign and drive for financing. We see architectural design as an integral part of the community consensus-building process for the McCarren Park Pool, and the resulting pictures to be necessary to create widespread public awareness and provide tools to raise serious money. We intend for the design to remain at the schematic level until broader support and funding is secure.