Mayor Bill de Blasio’s closure of public pools amid the coronavirus crisis “will cause a major spike in drowning deaths,” predicted former Parks Department Commissioner Adrian Benepe.
Hizzoner announced early Thursday that pools in the five boroughs would not open this summer, a cut equal parts coronavirus precaution and an initiative to save the city some $12 million as it stares down a 10-figure budget crunch.
But in a tweet sent Wednesday night, before the move was officially announced, Benepe said that it might do more harm than good.
“In 1936 [controversial urban developer] Robert Moses opened 11 huge public pools,” wrote Benepe, who helmed city parks under Mayor Mike Bloomberg from 2002 through 2012.
“His main purpose was to prevent poor kids from drowning in rivers (500 NYers died every year prior to pools),” continued Benepe. “Closing @NYCParks pools will cause a major spike in drowning deaths by mostly minority children.”
Benepe told The Post on Thursday that the potential ripple effect could extend far beyond a spike in drownings.
“If you close those pools, you’re putting 50,000 kids where? On the streets?” he asked. “They’re going to go swimming wherever they can, and they’re going to go into the river and they’re going to go into the lakes and ponds in the parks, and they’re going to open up fire hydrants.
“When 50,000 kids open up a few thousand fire hydrants, your water pressure suddenly drops and you can’t fight fires,” continued Benepe. “And the kids are playing in the streets and they’re getting hit by cars.
“So basically what you’re saying by closing pools is it’s OK if a lot of kids die.”
Benepe also said that giving kids access to public pools may hinder, not accelerate, the spread of the coronavirus.
“It’s my understanding that chlorine kills the virus,” he said. “If you’re in an environment where you’re covered with chlorine, it’s probably good.”
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, well-maintained pools should be free of the disease.
“There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools, hot tubs or spas, or water playgrounds,” according to the CDC’s website. “Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection (e.g., with chlorine and bromine) of pools, hot tubs or spas, and water playgrounds should inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.”
“That’s not providing leadership in a crisis, to say, ‘You’re on your own when it’s 100 degrees this summer,'” said Benepe. “Because people will be on their own and they’ll just go swim in the rivers and in the ponds and in the lakes, and then you’ll have an enforcement problem.”
But mayoral spokeswoman Jane Meyer countered Benepe’s argument.
“Though a painful one, the decision to close our pools is about keeping our kids and families safe from a virus that is ravaging our city. Our entire budget is about protecting New Yorkers and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect them from any unwanted consequences of the closures as well,” the de Blasio aide said.