Jack Stack pool in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood reopened Wednesday. It had been closed since last week after a nearby shooting in which one woman was killed and another was injured.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Chief Larry Scirotto said that while the incident didn’t occur on pool grounds and no weapons were found at the pool, police are implementing a new security plan that includes a heightened police presence and “round-the-clock security coverage” at the pool for the remainder of the summer.
“So there is a protocol when instances like this occur — or more importantly, when they're developing, before they become violent,” he said.
Police are also working to develop new security plans for the rest of the city’s pools, which Scirotto estimates will be in place within 10 days.
Mayor Ed Gainey thanked the police for their “quick intervention” after the shooting and “making sure that we were doing the things that were necessary from a public safety standpoint to make sure that the community was safe.”
Gainey said the updated security plan for Jack Stack pool includes creating a closer relationship between lifeguards, pool staff and Zone One police. That way, he said, “when something happens, they know exactly who to call … to let them know that they should be here.”
Officials said they hope the plan will help stop incidents before violence might occur.
Scirotto said reopening the pool was an important step towards normality for a community so recently impacted by gun violence.
“I feel very confident saying that we keep all of our public pools and all of our public facilities safe,” he said. “This is an environment that you can enjoy. You should feel comfortable sending your kids here. You should feel comfortable with your kids being employed here.”
The reopening comes after a rough few years for the city’s pools. Earlier this year, the city’s parks director warned that Pittsburgh likely wouldn’t be able to open all city pools this summer. In June, the department announced that 15 of 18 public pools, including Jack Stack, would open with varying hours.
Pittsburgh hasn’t been able to open all 18 of its pools since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The city has struggled to recruit enough lifeguards.
“We worked so hard to get this pool open initially,” Bobby Wilson, who represents the area on City Council, said at the press conference. “And so, the goal is to keep services running so that residents can continue to enjoy them.”
