Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Putting up 6ft pool in public park - no garden

306 replies

itsgettingweird · 22/07/2020 16:13

I really can't work out if I am or not!

I live in a street that's not quiet but not busy either. There is a public park that has loads of grass and a small play area and also lots if public open spaces.

Someone from flats adjacent to park has put up a 6ft swimming pool in the park. It's close to the play equipment meaning parents can't sit on bench by swings when their children play due to SD.

It's unsupervised and currently about 6 local kids in it (not sure if owner of pools kids or just locals or mixture of both)
It's not the mixing that concerns me.

But AIBU to think this isn't safe anyway but you really shouldn't do this as you then take over a public space when the whole family is there like they did yesterday evening?

There is a space that's a bit no lands land between park and flats that has a wooden fence (just like the single barrier) around it and I think if they'd put it there it wouldn't be so bad?)

I'm completely torn between thinking the kids need some fun after lockdown and constantly looking out of my window to check they're safe as no other adult around and the effect this is having on me relaxing.

So AIBU to think they shouldn't put it there?

OP posts:
sauvignonblancplz · 23/07/2020 17:50

Awk for goodness sake , have you actually ventured down to take a look and see if there are adults keeping an eye? Or are you just frantically looking out your window?
Just leave it be ffs & let the kids enjoy themselves.

FelicisNox · 23/07/2020 17:52

YANBU.

It's on council owned land (more than likely) and it's unsupervised.

It's a shame but there you go.

Report it.

Todaywewilldobetter · 23/07/2020 17:56

@sauvignonblancplz

Awk for goodness sake , have you actually ventured down to take a look and see if there are adults keeping an eye? Or are you just frantically looking out your window? Just leave it be ffs & let the kids enjoy themselves.
Yes. It's gone. She said that pages ago...
Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches · 23/07/2020 17:57

I agree with everyone else that it’s a terrible drowning risk!

itswinetime · 23/07/2020 17:58

'The princess Diana vast play water paddling fountain
No chlorine'

It might be used like that but it's not designed as a play fountain all the signs say feel free to dip you feet in but don't walk on the fountain.

It's also running water that is constantly being replaces from an aquifer below which for me is not the same as still water left for a couple of days.

Helpplease222 · 23/07/2020 18:03

I get that it’s a drowning risk and think I’m with you on reporting it - but why is it anymore of a risk than say a pond or kids paddling pool in a park?

SUPERMANNY · 23/07/2020 18:03

If it is still there at night I’m sure local kids will destroy it

FortniteBoysMum · 23/07/2020 18:50

So not being supervised in a pool. Dangerous and stupid I would call council and report it.

user1490954378 · 23/07/2020 19:05

Helpplease I can imagine some parents let their children go to the park with their friends to play, not supervised, like many kids are allowed out to play near their homes. I can also then imagine some of these kids going to play in the pool without their parents knowing it is there. As a kid, I know I would have put on my swimming costume under my clothes, not said anything and off I would have gone! The pool is unsupervised, and not all kids are great swimmers but will probably want to go in anyway, and even those who can swim should be supervised at all times. It's really bloody dangerous!!

Gardening1 · 23/07/2020 19:34

[quote ASimpleLampoon]@MiserySand Were you joking or was it a lampoon? a simple lampoon?[/quote]
Love the username Grin you were lampooning me

linsey2581 · 23/07/2020 19:56

It’s 75 m deep????

JosieJasper · 23/07/2020 19:58

jimmyhill

Actually, if it’s left it comes under the same category as fly tipping/littering

Popsy92 · 23/07/2020 20:00

That is crazy. Annoying and a drowning risk! Complain to the council if it’s public land

PablosHoney · 23/07/2020 20:04

I really feel for people without gardens in all this, I take my hat off to them but this really sounds unsafe and unfair to block access to the swings too.

cuntryclub · 23/07/2020 20:13

@MintyMabel

So because there are a small number of people who have no idea how to raise children all risks must be removed from all children everywhere?

No, not at all. But under these circumstances, yes. Its not difficult to understand the danger here.

Original poster
itsgettingweird · 23/07/2020 20:20

I'd argue it's more than a paddling pool when children approx 8/9 were sat in it and it came above their shoulders.

There were 11/12 year olds standing in it and it can up to their (short) shorts.

But regardless of drowning risk just in water it increases when there's all sorts of stuff in the water too.

I'm glad I reported it and I'm glad I pushed council when they didn't actually read original message correctly and realise it was in public play space.

Have to give it to council that once they'd comprehended situation they did email this evening to check it had been removed.

I was chatting to a neighbour today who was saying they'd been worried and glad pool down. Mentioned council coming etc. I didn't say I'd reported it.

Apparently they'd actually had a BBQ in the park and a small party. I hadn't seen that but because I'd been on a zoom call meeting and then gone out for a meeting.

OP posts:
Original poster
itsgettingweird · 23/07/2020 20:22

@MintyMabel

It's quite worrying really.

What's worrying is, parents seem to want to remove any element of risk from their children's life rather than raising them to live with risk and learn how to deal with it.

Any child old enough to be out by themselves should be able to assess the risk from being around water, let alone a small paddling pool. Statistically, the person who is far more likely to drown in a rogue paddling pool would be an adult who for some reason falls in to it and is unable to get out.

So you agree then that it's a risk. Because it was there overnight in a dark place with no lighting and people walk down the street and sit in the park at all hours. Sometimes groups sit and have a quiet drink.

They never leave a mess and it doesn't disturb anyone. But if they were pissed in the dark .....

OP posts:
DanceItOut · 23/07/2020 20:22

I mean honestly if it was put out and filled and the adult was supervising it the whole time then took it down again and didn’t leave it unsupervised then I would just keep my nose out of it. If it’s being left unsupervised then that’s not ok. We have a similar situation in that we live in a block of flats with no garden and there is a communal green. Quite often throughout the summer various families will occasionally put up gazebos or paddling pools etc on the green but usually only for the one day and only with the adult out there supervising and then it gets packed away. There is no park here though and it’s a small close so a lot more private than in your situation I would imagine.

Original poster
itsgettingweird · 23/07/2020 20:24

@sauvignonblancplz

Awk for goodness sake , have you actually ventured down to take a look and see if there are adults keeping an eye? Or are you just frantically looking out your window? Just leave it be ffs & let the kids enjoy themselves.
If you read my posts you will see it's directly outside my window. I can see the park and pool and see what's going on.

For yes - for goodness sake - I did actually know.

OP posts:
WingingItSince1973 · 23/07/2020 20:26

So good to read its been taken down. Those on this thread thinking its nothing serious and doesn't pose a risk are hopefully never in charge of looking after children!

YinuCeatleAyru · 23/07/2020 20:36

thanks for the updates. glad it's been emptied. I suspect it will be refilled in less than a week and will stay up till the council chap visits again.

Original poster
itsgettingweird · 23/07/2020 20:53

I don't think it'll be up. Well not in park anyway or not left. From what I've gathered family who did it just didnt think rather than are CF. I also heard a few families clubbed together and they were all at Party.

Tbh wouldn't bother me if being used whilst supervised. But I don't want it left to become bacteria soup and a drowning risk again.

OP posts:
mylifestory · 23/07/2020 20:56

We have this pool, if they do it again go past and undo the white drain at the side bottom 😆 I wdnt leave my 10 year old alone in it in our garden, they're very dangerous!

Duemarch2021 · 23/07/2020 23:17

Nah this is wrong..and i know you said you're not concerned about them mixing but a pool would be worst thing ever for transmitting covid!!! But yeah like u say, so dangerous for a drowning risk x

lauralee44 · 24/07/2020 00:33

I remember a while back a child had went into someone garden and drowned in their paddling pool and they got prosecuted for it as was on their property. For this reason alone I wouldn't even put a pool in my own front garden just a major safety risk. Unless they where supervising this 24/7 I don't think it is OK at all

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.