Under Cloudy Skies, UWS’s New Gottesman Public Pool Opens for Summer Season

By Nora Moses

New Yorkers made the first splashes in Harlem’s newest public pool Friday morning, lining up early for the long-awaited debut of the Gottesman Pool in Central Park’s northeast corner, near Harlem Meer.

The new pool was part of a five-year, multi-million dollar renovation to reimagine the Lasker ice rink and pool and the surrounding parkland. Construction began in 2020, and this past April, the new recreation space—known as the Davis Center—opened its doors. 

At the April opening day, the pool area was covered with turf – as it will be in spring and fall – for sports and other activities.  But with the official opening of the summer pool season Friday, the turf was gone and Gottesman became one of the dozens of outdoor public pools that opened to swimmers across the city.

The new pool stretches 285 feet and can accommodate up to 1,000 people. Nine lifeguards were stationed around the pool, which includes a shallow end with a dedicated guard. The space will transform into a skating rink in winter and a recreational turf in between seasons.

The opening came just after this week’s heat wave, but despite Friday’s gray skies and moderate temperatures, more than 50 people were already waiting outside when the gates opened at 11 a.m.

“We love NYC pools in the summer,” said Harlem resident Michelle, who came with her son Robin. “It’s the perfect way to start summer vacation.” Robin said he was most excited to “jump” into the new Gottesman pool.

Twelve-year-old Binta echoed the sentiment, saying she couldn’t wait to jump into the water.

“It’s also something new in the area, so I want to explore it,” added her friend, 13-year-old Jaliya. 

Binta and Jaliya heard about the pool’s opening on TikTok. Others cited social media, local news coverage, or simply noticing that the construction barriers had finally come down.

“We’ve been walking around the construction for four years, so we saw when it was finally finished,” said Paul, who brought his 5-year-old to swim.

Street clothes, shoes, flotation devices, food, newspapers, electronics, and glass are not allowed on the pool deck; however, towels, books, magazines, and non-glass water bottles are permitted. A Parks and Recreation official said that the pool does permit bathing suits with built-in flotation material, which can be useful for small children. Visitors can store their belongings in lockers in the Davis Center, but must bring their own locks. 

Not only kids were in attendance: the pool’s opening attracted residents of all ages who came to swim and relax. 

“The other pool that’s closest is the one by the river, but that one’s dirty,” said Chris, a 20-year-old who came to the pool with two friends. “This one will be clean, or at least for the first 30 minutes.”

NYC influencers @keara_sheri and @toosha_z stopped by the pool to film content for their social media accounts, which spotlight food and activity recommendations across the city. They said they’d be posting these videos within the next day. 

Keara told the Rag she could see the pool becoming a viral destination, noting that people might travel from as far as Brooklyn—where she’s based—to swim in the brand new pool for free.

Keara also said she had positive memories of skating at the old Lasker ice rink and was excited for the opening of the renovated rink this winter. 

One resident reflected on the initial creation of the old Lasker Pool and Rink in 1966.

“Back then, they made this part of the park a reservation for the city, and I think that was a really smart idea,” said Jose Jimenez, who was born in Harlem in 1959 and brought his two-year-old granddaughter to swim this morning. “And I’m glad they updated it too.”

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