By Kali Morgan, Summer 2024

Cherashore Pool is located at 851-951 W. Olney Ave., 19141.
Telephone: (215) 685-2897
Cherashore Playground Facebook

Compact, polygonal pool
Ladders for water entry/exit
Depth: 2 to 5 feet
No lap lines or lanes
Steps required for entry from Olney Ave
Large porta-potty for changing/toilet
Partial sun/cool water
Belongings allowed inside pool area
Lax enforcement of dress code (thank goodness!)

#MyPhillyPoolTour2024
JULY 7, 2024
It’s Sunday and I had other plans to participate in a group hike, but those plans were cancelled due to the crazy high heat and humidity.
So I am back to this summer’s obsessive immersion into all of the glorious free public pools the City of Philadelphia has to offer. I’m going out solo today since I have not reached out to friends to invite anyone to meet me in any of the pools.
I thought I would stick relatively close to home since this project has eaten a lot more gasoline than I budgeted for and my dad is fixing my bicycle. (There is no way I could keep pace at jumping in three to four pools a day on public transit.) Plus I just acquired a car after six months without one. I spent multiple days this week and last having various repairs done to it, and I’m ready to go places. So today I am off to Olney to check out a pool I’ve never jumped in before.
I parked in the shade under the railroad bridge across Olney Avenue. I passed a neighbor weeding their yard. We exchanged pleasantries, and I told them I could not wait to get in the cool water. They raised their eyebrows at me as I crossed the street, but I could tell that they were contemplating what a dip might feel like.
As I made it to the pool, I realized that because I had changed plans suddenly, I needed a changing area. There is a building at the rec center that appears to be closed (it is Sunday after all, plus all of Broad Street is closed). Looks like my changing room would be a porta john. It had handrails only on two sides and no place to hang a bag, but at least it is cleaned on a regular schedule (see photo).
Sadly, once I’ve gotten changed, I am told the pool is going to remain closed until lifeguards arrive. When they can get across Broad Street, I’m guessing.
A line of about 20 kids forms outside, waiting for that moment of poolness coolness. Hardly the crazy crowds from my 70s childhood, but each kid is just eager as we ever were.
A middle-aged woman asks if I am the lifeguard, but I’m just here to swim. This disappoints her even though she is in a camp chair and fully clothed and does not appear to be waiting to swim.
I watch her have a conversation with one of the kids about the president coming to town, which includes an interesting and not completely untrue synopsis of American history (except for the parts about all Indians being dead and the Mexicans trying to “take our jobs,” smh).
I decide to leave after asking the pool staff on duty when they expect their reinforcements and if they think the pool will open. I am told that they were informed that someone was indeed on their way — some time today.

Now that I’m suited up and ready to get wet, I decide to depart to other pools in the area and double back. Ziehler Playground’s pool was dry unfortunately, so I head right back to Cherashore.
I return at 1:30pm, and the pool is full of people playing! It’s going to feel good…
I bring my bag inside the deck area and jump to finally feel relief. It’s been almost two hours since I left home in Germantown to swim and I am finally WET.
All is righted with my day!
I stay for all of 10 minutes. When I get out, my new acquaintance is still in their camping chair by the pool gate and is quite surprised that I stayed for such a short time after the extended delay getting in.
I tell the truth with few words, “I just needed to cool my brain.”