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?

@Jimdandy

Pearl clutching, fun spoiling, interfering kill joys the lot of you.

Would you really let your child play unsupervised in the park with free access to a pool with 75cm of water?

This is what people are finding worrying. A supervised paddling pool, while cheeky, would not have been such a concern.

No, I would supervise my small children. But I just find it completely killjoy to spoil others opportunity for fun. If parents don’t supervise that’s on them.

I wouldn’t supervise past 8. Kids need freedom.

It will probably go green and manky soon, without proper chemicals.

@Jimdandy

Pearl clutching, fun spoiling, interfering kill joys the lot of you.

As opposed to stupid, reckless, thoughtless, idiotic...

@Jimdandy

No, I would supervise my small children. But I just find it completely killjoy to spoil others opportunity for fun. If parents don’t supervise that’s on them.

I wouldn’t supervise past 8. Kids need freedom.

So lifeguards at public pools are only there to supervise the under-8s?

Nice easy job there then.

@youremindmeofthebabewhatbabe

That sounds a bit gross. Hope they are topping it up with chlorine. Some play parks aren't open yet here yet those kids will be jumping in and out and swallowing stagnant water that Unknowns have wee'd in. That's disgusting

What parent keeps chlorine at home? I don't think tipping in a bottle of Domestos is the answer.

Around here, teenagers jump off the bridge into the river for swimming.

Two were killed last year

And I know at least 1 died the year before.

But that’s ok right? Cos it’s a bit of fun?

Course it isn’t. Just like it isn’t to have a paddling pool on a green with no supervision

If parents don’t supervise that’s on them.

So parents should supervise in case of unexpected hazards (like large pools of water) then?

I wouldn’t supervise past 8. Kids need freedom.

A direct contradiction Then how do you protect against unexpected hazards? It's all very well allowing your 8 year old to play unsupervised in a familiar local park. But when you make that decision you aren't expecting there to be a large drowning risk present are you?
Not all children are confident in water and there are good reasons that councils don't have large open pools in play parks as standard.

To try and argue that not wanting potentially unsupervised children to be at risk of drowning/infection is being a 'killjoy' does indicate rather skewed principles.

@Soubriquet

Around here, teenagers jump off the bridge into the river for swimming.

Two were killed last year

And I know at least 1 died the year before.

But that’s ok right? Cos it’s a bit of fun?

Course it isn’t. Just like it isn’t to have a paddling pool on a green with no supervision

Maybe the council should have removed the river to prevent the drowning risk?

(Clutches pearls)

Or maybe the parents should have been supervising or teaching water safety

@Veterinari

If parents don’t supervise that’s on them.

So parents should supervise in case of unexpected hazards (like large pools of water) then?

I wouldn’t supervise past 8. Kids need freedom.

A direct contradiction Then how do you protect against unexpected hazards? It's all very well allowing your 8 year old to play unsupervised in a familiar local park. But when you make that decision you aren't expecting there to be a large drowning risk present are you?
Not all children are confident in water and there are good reasons that councils don't have large open pools in play parks as standard.

To try and argue that not wanting potentially unsupervised children to be at risk of drowning/infection is being a 'killjoy' does indicate rather skewed principles.

I agree with all of that. But some perspective that it's a paddling pool, likely pretty much empty after a day's playing and it's likely bright blue and plastic. I doubt anyone's confusing it with a public pool and it's not a "large body of water" as someone else posted.

And you'll spot it a mile off.
It's not a good idea, no, but there's a bit of imagination stretching as to what a 6ft paddling pool actually is. I know children can drown in a puddle. But equally this isn't a home built lido either! It's a grim soup of CF sweat!
The rats doing backstroke comment made me laugh. Yup, vile and full of the bodily fluids and bugs from every passing child and creature.

Some parents may let their kids out to play and may not be aware its there..

Has the OP been back on yet?
Its probably been taken down by now. Job done.Discussion over.

@JacobReesMogadishu

It must be freezing cold as well, it’s hardly been warm lately.

I'm south. It's been 25° here most days so cold isn't a concern.

Thanks to our all friends down under for your opinions. I know Australia are good role models in life saving.

We'll update this morning.

Looks grim. Flies swarming at times as it's hot here.
Got email back from another department in council again telling me to contact my HA as they own and manage property.

Rang them up and and asked them if I found a spillage in aisle 7 of Tesco should I ring HA because they own my house?!

After a pause they asked if it was in a public space then? I may have been slightly blunt suggesting they actually read the very clear report I sent over that states location rather than just looking at my address and making assumptions it's an antisocial behavioural issue (which is one of the teams referred to) because it's HA or that it's a HA issue because of my address.

Outcome. Referred to park rangers to sort. Someone came. Walked over. Looked. Walked back to van and drove off.

Another update!

Park ranger just called me! He said it was grimmer than he thought it would be and making a real mess of the grass etc.

But as he was stood looking someone from top flat called down and asked if he was looking at pool. He said he's. Guy said he'd move it today.

Flats are 3 stories!

Paddling pools get grimy really quick with algae and bugs when it’s not filled with pool chemicals and a 6ft paddling pool takes quite a lot of water to fill up and isn’t something you would necessarily want to empty each day due to the sheer volume of water required. Sounds like a bit of a breading ground for bacteria

@Jimdandy

Pearl clutching, fun spoiling, interfering kill joys the lot of you.

@Jimdandy, Your attitude is dangerous, foolish and sneering.

How would you feel if a child drowned in that pool?

It really doesn't take long for things to go very wrong in pools, even small ones.

What a nightmare to parents. I was on holiday abroad 2 weeks ago and was literally like a hawk over DS as he kept getting close to the pool. Pools are dangerous and you said about 75cm deep and as many parents on here, I'm sure none would even think to leave our young ones in a bath unsupervised for even a second as it's dangerous despite being less deeper than the pool you saw. I would report it to the council if I was in your situation.

@BubblyBarbara

People will assume it's a public facility!

No they wouldn't. Since when has a local council or whatever opened a new public swimming pool randomly in a park without any staff, etc. No one would think this.

This sort of thing used to happen all the time when I was young in the 60s, no-one cared and everyone had fun. It's only nowadays the elf' and safety police seem to want to come out to ruin it.

what an absolute pile of shite. "elf' and safety" doesn't ruin fun, it prevents injury and loss of life. My mum's attitude was like yours, she let me run wild and it did me a huge amount of harm.

Good update OP - cheeky fuckers.

Urgh sounds grim. We had a similar pool but it’s covered every day after use and we use a chlorine floater, it’s been up since may with no water change and is still crystal clear, the kids use a tiny baby pool to wash their feet before getting in via a old bath at so it stay lovely and clean.
In comparison our neighbour bought one last year and put it on top of bare soil, no cover, no chemicals, dogs in and out plus dogs hit in garden that wasn’t picked up, would not allow my dd anywhere near it, was heave inducing just thinking about it. Suffice to say it was green and unusable by about 10days in and sat in the garden scrunched up ever since.

Glad to hear person says he’s taking it down, don’t hesitate to report again if it doesn’t get removed though.

I knew the family of a drowned child. Older brother had been left with younger brother who drowned in a shallow garden pond. Forty years later older brother was STILL an emotional and mental mess and still dependent on his parents, wracked with the guilt of having been there when his younger brother had died. He was five at the time. A whole family broken.
Drowning happens in seconds and ruins lives forever. Water is fucking dangerous.

@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.

Are you joking?!?! It's instinctive?! Tell that to my friend who lost her 5yr old who she left for less than 5 minutes in a tiny paddling pool that hadn't even been fully filled up.

My mum's attitude was like yours, she let me run wild and it did me a huge amount of harm.

Did you drown to death? No, clearly not. While I don't condone letting kids run around taking drugs or drinking, a splash in a pool is hardly dangerous if it's not babies.

@StatementKnickers

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.

THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN DID NOT SURVIVE! They drowned!!!!!!!

sorry to bring this down but i would also be worried who would be hanging around with kids in swimming costumes. it would be a paedophiles dream

@BubblyBarbara

My mum's attitude was like yours, she let me run wild and it did me a huge amount of harm.

Did you drown to death? No, clearly not. While I don't condone letting kids run around taking drugs or drinking, a splash in a pool is hardly dangerous if it's not babies.

Wow. Just wow. Since when have (deep) paddling pools not been hugely dangerous?!?!?!?!