BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Parents and swimming advocates are asking the Buffalo Board of Education to open the district's 21 school pools to the public, calling it a potential solution to Buffalo's swimming pool crisis.
The group plans to speak at a Buffalo Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, requesting access to pools within the Buffalo Public Schools system.
The city's pool system has halved in the last decade, with up to 6 pools likely to be open and available to the public this summer, and just one indoor facility open year-round.
La'Shey Green Thomas is one of the people who plans to speak at the meeting.
"Right now, the Cazanovia pool is the only inner-city pool that's available to our community to swim, and it's not fair when there's a pool right in their local pool district," Green Thomas said.
She has two children enrolled in City Swim Project, a program that offers free or subsidized swim classes in Buffalo. The program is held at the Connors, Kait, Hannity Memorial Pool in Cazanovia Park, and it's seen better days. Green Thomas said the pools within the school district are better maintained.
"Pools that are filled, pools that are clean, pools that our kids can use in the school day, but after school hours, the pool is not accessible," Green Thomas said.
WATCH: Buffalo parents push for public access to BPS pools to help solve city's pool crisis
This is not the first time the idea has been floated. In 2021, councilmembers Bryan Bollman and Rasheed Wyatt requested public access to the BPS pool system, but their resolution was received and filed in 2024, meaning it went nowhere.
Wyatt told me he proposed the idea after North Buffalo's Shoshone Pool was filled in to make way for a new year-round indoor athletic facility in 2019.
"We have BPS pools in our city, how come we can't take advantage of those?" Wyatt said.
The University District representative acknowledged the financial challenges the city and BPS face.
"Everything is a cost issue we're dealing with, but at the end of the day, taxpayers are saying 'we pay these taxes, why can't we get these amenities?'" he said.
BPS responded in a statement saying the district would have to "carefully evaluate a number of factors" before permitting public access to pools.
"While the district doesn’t comment on pending legislation, prior to permitting public access to school swimming pools, the district would need to carefully evaluate a number of factors, including staffing requirements, security, liability risks, added operational costs, effects on school programs and schedules, and compliance with state regulations. Additionally, any decision would be primarily based on maintaining a safe and positive learning environment for our students, staff, and families on our campuses."
