Parks & Rec is working to make our sites accessible to those of all abilities. That includes our public pools! To help reach this goal, we’re installing pool lifts at some outdoor pools.
These lifts provide access for anyone who needs help getting into the water. You sit on the lift seat and are then lowered into the pool. Wheelchair users must transfer out of their chair and onto the lift.
Notify a lifeguard if you need to use the pool lift at these locations:
- Christy pool — 728 S. 55th St., 19143
- Dendy pool — 1501-39 N. 10th St., 19122
- Fox Chase pool — 7901 Ridgeway St., 19111
- Hunting Park pool — 900 Hunting Park Ave., 19140
- J. Finnegan pool — 6801 Grovers, 19142
- Kelly Pool — 4231 Lansdowne Dr., 19131
- Lederer (Fishtown) pool — 1219-25 E Montgomery Ave., 19125
- Mander pool — 2140 N. 33rd St., 19121
- Penrose pool — 1101 W. Susquehanna Ave., 19122
- Pleasant pool — 6757 Chew Ave., 19119
- Vogt pool — 4131 Unruh Ave., 19135
Frequently asked questions about pool lifts
Who are the lifts for?
Anyone who needs help getting in the water can request to use the lifts!
How many are there?
There are currently 12 lifts in working order. Two additional lifts should be ready to use in 2024.
Who paid for the lifts–and how much do they cost?
The lifts cost between $8,000 and $9,000 each. The City received a $35,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Health Promotion & Risk Reduction to help pay for the lifts. The Philadelphia Department of Health helped get the grant funding.
Are the lifts easy to operate–do staff need to be trained to use them?
The lifts are relatively easy to operate. Parks & Rec provides training for pool staff.
How long have we had the lifts? Is there a goal to add more?
Before 2022, Parks & Rec only had a few lifts. The new lifts are a direct result of the Rec for All plan. This plan looked at how Parks & Rec sites could welcome individuals with disabilities and the neurodiverse. It included a series of recommendations.
Gwendolyn Vilade, Parks & Rec’s Director of Inclusion, was hired as part of the plan. She helped coordinate the installation of the new lifts. The goal is to have lifts at 25 pools, one-third of Parks & Rec’s pools.
