Baltimore councilman aims to reopen 3 city pools for the summer

BALTIMORE -- Beating the summer heat in the pool is not an option for some residents in Baltimore City, as some community pools remain closed, and one city councilman wants to know why. 

As we head into the dog days of summer, a number of pools in Baltimore remain closed, posing some challenges for community members who want to dip into the water and beat the heat.

City Councilman Zeke Cohen is working to reopen the pools to the public. Right now, three pools in the city are closed, and there's no hope of them opening anytime soon.

According to the city's website the pool at Cherry Hill will not be opening this summer. Patterson Park and Clifton Park pools also remain closed until further notice due to ongoing repairs.

Cohen says money isn't the issue here, noting there have been major investments into city pools.

Instead, he believes the issue is with the Department of Recreation and Parks identifying and reporting problems before they become catastrophic.

Now he's calling for a hearing with the department along with community partners to get the pools back open for people to enjoy.

He acknowledged Monday that Baltimore is home to some of the oldest pool infrastructure in the state of Maryland, and that it's important to make sure crews are constantly checking to ensure they're safe and working properly.

While pools offer fun and entertainment for the family, Cohen says it also provides a safe space for kids and could help in curbing violence.

"Coming into the summer we were having just an extremely high amount of violence among teenagers and unfortunately we continue to see violence among our young people," he said. "Having things like pools and parks that are open for them to enjoy is extremely important."