By Kali Morgan, Summer 2024

Chew Pool is located at 1800 Washington Ave., 19146.
Phone: (215) 685-6596
Chew Playground Facebook

Polygonal pool (rectangle with extended tot section)

Depth: 2 to 5 feet
Ladders for water entry/exit
Belongings must be kept outside of pool deck
Donated/loaner items (floats, swim socks, suits) on rack inside pool deck
No lap lines or lanes
Warm water/direct sun
Mostly adults during Tuesday free swim (unusual)

#MyPhillyPoolTour2024

You enter through the rec center building on the south (Ellsworth Street) side of the complex block.
We arrived just as campers left the pool around 2:30pm, leaving only about 10 people (mostly adults) in the pool. My pool-hopping partner made a new friend when a pool visitor swam up and said, “I’m here to make friends,” putting out a hand to shake.
There are restrooms in the rec building but we didn’t check them out.

Inside the pool area, there were floatation devices to loan campers and visitors, as well as some donated swimsuits for visitors who arrive to swim without the required proper swimwear. The fabulously styled staffer in the photo indicated that many kids are in need of swimwear, and that adults tend to have proper attire when they arrive, but adult sizes are welcome for larger youth.
This pool also had a giant spigot pouring water, but when I stood in front of it, I was asked not to by the lifeguard (unlike at Belfield Pool, where it was just fine for me to enjoy a high pressure water massage on my back). My friend later told me that those spigots pour highly chlorinated water into the pool and aren’t safe, so maybe don’t try it. (Though it felt so good, and I am alive…) Ah well, no hard feelings there.
This playground could use some TLC in general, but I liked what I saw of it.