By Kali Morgan, Summer 2024

Dendy Pool is located at 1501-39 N. 10th St., 19122.
Phone: 215-685-2763
Dendy Playground Facebook

Large rectangular pool
Depth: 3 to 5 feet
Ladders for water entry/exit
Steps not required for entry to pool deck
Functional wheelchair lift!
Accessible men’s and women’s restrooms with separate entry outside building
No lap lanes or lines
Partial shade with cooler water temperatures in shady area
Belongings allowed on pool deck
Strictly no head coverings
No photos on pool deck

#MyPhillyPoolTour2024
JULY 10, 2024
Having both attended Temple University in the ’80s, my wife and I are in awe of the amount of brand new boxy housing being built in this neighborhood, as well as all of the others we visited today in Central North Philadelphia.
Marie Dendy Playground’s old-school pool is adjacent to a new playground with a nice splash garden.
This old-school pool has old-school rules, including no photos inside the pool area, although I got an exception to shoot photos of the wheelchair lift, which is in reported good working order. There are handicap-accessible two-stall women’s and men’s rooms on the outside of the rec center for changing and toilet use. No stairs into the water, but with a lift, it is still (more) accessible.
We were allowed to bring our items into the pool area. Staff were very nice, yet firm on following rules. My wife was hesitatingly told that she should, “really not wear a headcover but…,” as if they were willing to make an exception if she insisted, but did not want to have kids at the pool complaining if they did. As a former social worker, she assured them that we were not there to break the rules and removed her hairband, tying her hair above her head to keep it from getting wet once we jumped in. Other than the head covering rule, it’s standard operating procedure for Philly pools: no running and jumping, etc.
Thanks to trees on the perimeter of the pool area, there are shady spots to sit in, which is very nice.