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?

Meh, everyone did stuff like this in the 1980s and we all survived. Unless there are very young (preschool) children in it unsupervised I would let them get on with it.

public paddle pools are chlorinated (goodness I spelt that right!!!) this wont be - I once worked with someone whose little dc drowned in a very shallow fish pond - it only takes a minute. & didn't op say its location was bad - too near dc play area & seat.
crikey rats could wee in it or some daft drunk - doesn't bear thinking about (shudders) spit poison etc

Dangerous. Drowning risk - does their insurance cover stupid? Call the police before some small innocent child ends up dead

Just looked at the statistics. In 2019, 5 children ages 5-14 died from drowning in the UK. That includes all types of drowning (falling in rivers and sea etc as well as paddling pools). By comparison, around 40 children of the same age died in car accidents.

YANBU.

Putting it up in the day, closely and attentively supervising it, and draining it somewhere appropriate at the end of the day wouldn't be too bad even if they didn't have official permission.

But leaving it full overnight, and letting children play in it with no adults in sight, is grossly irresponsible and negligent.

Meh, everyone did stuff like this in the 1980s and we all survived.

We've already had two posts in this thread about children who didn't survive.

I’d be sticking a big ‘who is responsible for / should I contact about Public Liability Insurance for this’ notice on it.

A child can drown in less than 2 inches of water. Ring the police. There are no adults supervising and you can't watch them all the time (and shouldn't have to watch them any of the time).

You will never forgive yourself if there is a tragedy - even if it's a cat that drowns in it, not a child, you will feel responsible.

Meh, everyone did stuff like this in the 1980s and we all survived

Apart from the ones that didn't.

I'm just a normal functioning member of the human race and there's no way anyone can prove otherwise...

Has your mother had you tested?

Is it left up overnight? If so gross, who knows what would happen to the water, people pissing in it, wildlife, other bodily fluids...the list is endless.
And that is without the obvious drowning risk!
Maybe ring the out of hours council number.

I don't think parents could watch from flat if lower flats

Even if parents were watching from the flats, if someone got into trouble, but the time an adult reached the pool it could be too late.

@safariboot

YANBU.

Putting it up in the day, closely and attentively supervising it, and draining it somewhere appropriate at the end of the day wouldn't be too bad even if they didn't have official permission.

But leaving it full overnight, and letting children play in it with no adults in sight, is grossly irresponsible and negligent.

Meh, everyone did stuff like this in the 1980s and we all survived.

We've already had two posts in this thread about children who didn't survive.

Safari you e summed up how I thought about he bit. Yesterday - meh. Bit cheeky but we've all had a hard few months and to make sacrifices so leeway needs to be given.

Today. Still there. Unsupervised free for all.

Although much emptier as there's been a huge water fight or 3 the past few hours

I have missed hearing the kids laughing for hours on end. There's no greater sound.

In some areas you need council permission to put this sort of thing up even in a private garden. The resident is responsible for its security, so for instance if a child got into your garden and then drowned you would be held liable, even if you thought you had made the garden secure.

Lockdown has been crap for lots of people, not least those with yin g chosen living I a flat. I wouldn't begrudge someone doing this if they constantly supervised, but that doesn't sound like the case.

I would also say people need to constantly watch their own DC but I'm not naive enough to think everyone does. The worst case scenario is horrific.

@Winebottle

It wouldn't bother me. It's in a public space but parks are there to be used for recreation. It's not really taking over the space any more than using a picnic rug.

As for supervison, a small pool is not much of a drowning risk. Even very young children will remember too breathe, its instinctive. But in any case, that is a decision for parents to make. You wouldn't intervene if it was their garden so why intervene when its in the park.

As for toddlers wondering about, their parents can supervise them as the do around any other body of water in a public space.

A small pool isn't much of a drowning risk? Really? And young children 'remember' to breathe.

Bollocks

As for supervison, a small pool is not much of a drowning risk. Even very young children will remember too breathe, its instinctive.

This is so ignorant and a really dangerous thing to be saying, not the case at all. Many young children drown in minimal water.

3 people died in pools in the UK in 2019. That is very low.

Yeah in pools, many of which will have lifeguards etc. The issue is in ponds, the bathtub even- it can happen in water as shallow as 5cm.

Or in this case, a largely unattended pool.

@MintyMabel

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

Because working in swimming pool maintenance gives you some kind of unique perspective on the relative safety of a 6ft paddling pool?🤔

I should excpect working in pool maintenance would give them fairly detailed knowledge about the risks of bacterial growth in a paddling pool, as well as contamination by urine or feces, both human and animal. A paddling pool wouldn't take long to be a festering soup.. I should also think, for their own safety, pool maintenance workers are pretty well informed with just how easy it is to drown and how important it is to make sure kids who should be supervised don't end up with free access to any sized pool.

Why would you think otherwise?

If you RTFT you'll see Ive never mentioned police or said I'd contact them.
So you can step down and rest easy!

I have RTFT thanks and seen every other poster recommending that you call the police.

Does people who don't think it's a drowning risk should look up 'silent drowning'.

@Winebottle

It wouldn't bother me. It's in a public space but parks are there to be used for recreation. It's not really taking over the space any more than using a picnic rug.

As for supervison, a small pool is not much of a drowning risk. Even very young children will remember too breathe, its instinctive. But in any case, that is a decision for parents to make. You wouldn't intervene if it was their garden so why intervene when its in the park.

As for toddlers wondering about, their parents can supervise them as the do around any other body of water in a public space.

This is why we need to bring back public information films. Did you never learn about children drowning in garden ponds?

Who the fuck puts up a 6ft paddling pool in a public park?

Cheekiest bloody fuckers. ever.

www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/media/1005/uk-drowning-prevention-strategy.pdf

This thread has been food for thought. And a google found this document.

Very interesting read and informative and educational.