Young witnesses, parents and organizers urge council to renovate Pickett and Marcus Foster pools
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Summary
Students, parents and aquatics advocates testified that renovating and reopening public pools — including Pickett and Marcus Foster — is a public-safety and equity priority that would provide life skills, jobs and year-round programming for Black and brown neighborhoods.
A group of students, parents and aquatics advocates urged Philadelphia City Council on Tuesday to fund renovations to neighborhood pools, saying year-round access is a life-safety and equity issue.
Fifteen-year-old Asherah Rollerson and her 14-year-old brother Yousef Rollerson said learning to swim at Pickett Pool launched opportunities — from competitive rowing to lifeguarding — that they say are critical for Black and brown youth in North Philadelphia and other neighborhoods. "We need Pickett Pool renovated and reopened," Asherah told the Committee of the Whole.
Multiple young witnesses and parents described near-drowning incidents and long travel times to the few indoor pools that remain open. Phineas Daugherty described training to pass a camp swim test and the barriers created by limited local access to instruction; other students noted disproportionate drowning rates among Black children and urged council to treat pool repairs as public-safety investments.
Advocates asked council to prioritize renovation of Marcus Foster and Pickett pools and to fund year-round programming and lifeguard training opportunities that can provide summer and year-round jobs in neighborhoods with high need. Testimony framed the request as a complement to broader youth and public-safety strategies and called for money to appear in the FY26 capital and operating proposals.
Council members did not take action during the public comment period; witnesses said they would follow up with council offices and community partners to press for inclusion of pool funding in final budget allocations.