Urban kids now have a green alternative to cooling off under the gush of a street fire hydrant. A firm called Macro Sea is refashioning garbage dumpsters into swimming pools. The idea, launched last summer in Brooklyn, has popped up in several locations in New York City this summer and is expected to grow in cities around the country.
“I think it would be so great if different municipalities that can’t afford to build a whole park could set up these pop-up pools,” says David Belt, who designed the pools and is executive director of Macro Sea.
The dumpster pools have a surrounding deck and their own water filtration system. Many urban areas lack the funds to create permanent pool facilities and Belt hopes this idea proves to be a cost effective, environmentally-sound alternative.
Each 8 x 22 foot dumpster pool can comfortably fit 10 people, is 3 to 4 1/2 feet deep, is filled with 4,600 gallons of chlorinated water, and has been padded with felt covered by a pool liner. Belt has donated three pools he’s set up in three locations in New York City, including one on Park Avenue where the street has been closed to traffic as part of its Summer Streets program on three Saturdays, August 7, 14 and 21 between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. On opening day, 420 swimmers took a dip in the pool located near the Grand Central viaduct on Park Avenue between 40th and 41st Streets.
This gives a whole new meaning to dumpster diving — and summer fun.
Photo courtesy of David Belt.