By Lee Stabert
Even with the hottest summer on record, many Philadelphians remain ignorant of the city's undercover gems: public pools. In case you're not posh enough to sunbathe on the roof at the Dorchester or connected enough to earn a membership at the exclusive Lombard Swim Club, you can still get your chlorine fix within city limits. For free.
The Ridgway pool at 13th and Carpenter (public swim: weekdays 1-4 p.m.; weekends noon-5 p.m.) feels particularly tucked away—an undiscovered oasis off Broad and Washington, centrally located for folks from Passyunk Square, Bella Vista, Graduate Hospital and Washington Square West. On a recent afternoon, there were fewer than a dozen people splashing in the shallows. And only one said something weird to us.
· Philadelphia Public Pools [City of Phila.]
· Take a Swim: A Map of Water [CPHI]
· Where's the Best Place to Swim in Philadelphia? [CPHI]
· DIY Heatwave Relief: Buy a Pool—From Craigslist [CPHI]
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