From Wendy Chapman, “Community Board 1 member and mom who wants more public pools in New York City so all kids learn how to swim.” (Full disclosure: My husband donated to +Pool years ago, possibly in my name.)

Monday night at Community Board 1’s Waterfront, Parks & Resiliency Committee, we heard a presentation by Kara Meyer from +Pool. I’ve read about the idea of a floating pool in the East River a few years ago in Time Magazine. Like many around the world, I loved the idea and hoped it would become a reality for New York City. From all the early marketing materials, it seemed like it would go in the East River, near Jane’s Carousel in Dumbo.

At our meeting, Kara shared that Brooklyn Bridge Park has opted out, which leaves the +Pool folks to find another suitable location. Depth, currents, and easy access to land lead the team to consider the Seaport, north of Pier 17.

Let’s advocate for Community Board 1 to have the coolest, fresh water, environmentally sensitive, artistic pool around! I’ve been pitching for a CB1 outdoor pop-up pool for years, to no avail. This would be much better. +Pool can host up to 2,800 people a day and would transform the amount of outdoor recreation space near CB1 and Chinatown while improving water quality in the East River without chemicals. Our kids will love it! Our city will love it!

Josh David, a founder of Friend of the High Line who is on +Pool’s board, attended Monday’s meeting. +Pool sees how this project will bring New Yorkers to the river and change our perception of this little-used public space by the Brooklyn Bridge. It might even help get Manhattan’s Brooklyn Bridge Beach opened and approved for kayak use. Best of all, +Pool isn’t currently asking the city for money—just permission to build it.

Kara said that other cities, including Baltimore and Sydney, have reached out with interest. How sad would it be that this great NYC idea gets built somewhere else first? The Gates in Central Park put NYC high on the global art tourism map when they privately raised $21 million transforming a winter walk in Central Park. +Pool, next to Pier 17, will do the same for the East River with a simple summer dip in the water (estimated $20 million to build and $1.2 million yearly operating cost).

Like the High Line, the founders of +Pool created a non-profit and are partnering with grassroots organizations to patiently build real community support for this bold idea. I just donated, now that I know it’s possible to have a +Pool in CB1. I hope many of my neighbors do the same. Please tell your friends and help spread the word, especially to the mayor, who you can contact via this link.

P.S. +Pool will be at the Marine Science Festival this Saturday (9/22), if you want to learn more in person.

When I contact +Pool’s Kara Meyer about a rendering of the pool at the Seaport (none exists), she added this: “Pier 17 is just one of many sites on the desk of the Mayor’s Office that is feasible and under consideration, including Pier 35, Hallet’s Cove, and other areas controlled by EDC and the Parks Department.” So if you want it here, make your voice heard.