Baltimore's Lake Clifton Pool opens its gates for Summer 2023

BALTIMORE -- City residents have had a hard time finding a place to beat the heat given that several city pools have remained closed since the beginning of the summer.

But on Friday, one of those pools opened its gates to the public.

Lake Clifton Pool was finally an option for families seeking respite from the hot weather. It is one of three city pools that has been undergoing repairs.

"We definitely would have appreciated it if it were open sooner . . . but the fact that it's open now—better late than never," Ashley Smith said.

Two other pools—the Cherry Hill and Patterson Park pools—are still undergoing repairs.

Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen has said that he wants Baltimore City Recreation and Parks to make those pools available to the public as soon as possible.

"When we think about what actually prevents violence from occurring before it happens, having safe places for our young people to be is mission critical," Cohen said. 

Nature Brown, who lives near Lake Clifton Pool, says it has been a struggle to keep her kids entertained ever since school let out.

"They're asking me every single day, 'Mom, where can we go? What can we do?'" Brown said. "It's nice to have something that's in the area you know for kids that live locally. Baltimore doesn't really have a lot of places for kids to enjoy activities."  

The challenge for Baltimore City Recreation and Parks is that some city pools are more than 50 years old.