By Kali Morgan, Summer 2024

Murphy Pool is at 300 Shunk St., 19148.
Phone: (215) 685-1874
Murphy Rec Center Faceook

Large rectangular pool
Ladders for water entry/exit
Depth: 3 to 5 feet
Painted lap lines
Full sun/warm water
Belongings are allowed on pool deck
Wheelchair lift had malfunctioning battery and didn’t work

#MyPhillyPoolTour2024
JULY 9, 2024
This is my friend’s neighborhood pool. We met up about a half hour after free swim started. My friend says they visit regularly and generally have good experiences, although it sometimes gets crowded to capacity, and sometimes kids are turned away for not having proper swimwear. My friend is also sensitive to chlorine but manages this sensitivity by showering both before and after a swim. I have never been sensitive to chlorine, but it makes sense to wash off some of the bleachy smell after a swim, so I might start doing that.

The pool is visible from the street, but it’s tricky getting into it — or at least it was for me because I was attracted to the wrong entrances. When I did get in, a guy who was sitting on the bench offered to keep an eye on my bags if I wanted to leave them on the bench, since he was waiting for his kids to get out of the pool and could not go in because he was diabetic and had a sore on his foot.
I told the guy that I would only be there for a few minutes because we were heading out to see some other pools in the neighborhood. He immediately warned me to stay away from Ford Pool. When I explained that I want to go to every pool, he suggested we go to Barry next and save Ford for last. I’m not sure why he gave this advice, but we decided to follow it, because why not?
Murphy is listed as having a wheelchair lift, but the lifeguard said that it doesn’t work. There are no stairs into the pool, just ladders.
If there was a changing area or building available, I did not notice it. I think I may have spotted a couple of porta-Johns across one of the sport fields.
Pool visitors were in good spirits and playing. The benches were full of belongings, and other bags and such were also inside the pool area.