Putting up 6ft pool in public park - no garden

[itsgettingweird]

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?

YANBU. I am giggling at the 75 metre deep pool though! Imagine the ladder youd have to climb to get in and out!

@InFiveMins

I think a lot of posters are overreacting. Chances are it's just a family that are using the space to let their kids play in the pool because they don't have a garden. Their parents will surely be supervising them. I'd leave them to get on with it.

It's unsupervised. No over reaction here. It needs removed ASAP before someone DIES.

Online council reporting could take days. Phone the police, it's a drowning and COVID risk

This is dangerous on several grounds!

@tulippa

A paddling pool in a car park sounds really minging and depressing.

It's not a car park!

It's a park with loads of green space and some equipment.

Well done all those who noted my typo. I did indeed mean 75cm

Good point about all kids peeing

Unfortunately the occupiers in the flats didn’t think this through at all. Better to be a party pooper than for someone to get hurt or worse.

I'm not really concerned about Covid risk. My town has had 16 cases in past 7 weeks. They are outside and in sunshine.

Bournemouth beach didn't seem to cause a huge peak.
But drowning does worry me. Although current kids out there I think the risk is minimal.

@MiserySand you say that now, if it's left overnight on POS some teenagers will likely p*ss in it for sure 🤢 it's a health risk

I do feel for people that don't have gardens but this doesn't sound like a good idea.

Covid is the last thing to worry about in this situation

I used to work for a swimming pool maintenance company. That is seriously dangerous, it can't stay up.

Not only will the water be full of bacteria by now, it is a real drowning hazard for small children and cats. Small children can (and do) drown in only a few inches of water.

@MiserySand

Do a shit in it op

Comment of the day !

contact your council, they will be very appreciative as they are responsible as it's on their property.

Can I also just confirm - despite being a marvellous suggestion - I am not going to shit in it

Foxes or cats may not take my stance on this though.

I feel bad for reporting but I feel better that I've at least done the right thing raising it as a safeguarding issue to relevant people and now it's their responsibility.

I'd ring the council immediately.

Urrgh paddling pools go all slimy pretty quickly too. Glad you’ve got EH onto it OP. Terrible drowning risk.

There's definetly a risk of drowning but clearly their parents have weighed up the risks and decided its ok

How have they weighed up the risks to others? Clearly they haven't.

Realistically OP - it’s a paddling pool
You seem very anxious and I suspect it’s distorting your perception

Its not the drowning risk to the kids that are meant to be playing in that worries me (as maybe misguidedly I am assuming that the parents that bought it have kids that are safe in a pool with lax / no supervision)

It is what happens after they have gone home that worries me as I am guessing they are not emptying it every night and refilling it in the morning. Any random punter/child could decide to have a splash and hurt themselves/drown. Any stupid teenager could decide to chuck some random chemicals in it for ‘fun’

Also after 24 hrs of random bodies in it, that pool water is going to be a hotbed of bacteria, fungus and body sweat with no proper pool chemicals in it.

Can you post a photo? Blurring the children

It'll be a cesspit of piss by the morning

It is dangerous to have this unsupervised in a public park. However any children in the park should be supervised anyway.

I would hesitate to report as it must be horrendous to have been in a flat with no outside space in lockdown and generally during the summer tbh.

Sounds dangerous to me. I get why they did it, but they're not supervising it all the time, and potentially it causes a risk to other kids.

I would hesitate to report as it must be horrendous to have been in a flat with no outside space in lockdown and generally during the summer tbh.

Within a few feet of a play park? Yeah hell...

I don't think lakes & rivers are supervised bodies of water in public spaces either...

It's grim though. And probably not legal.