On a sweltering Saturday in early August, children from the Poppleton area gathered at the newly opened Greater Model Aquatic Center in West Baltimore. After adjusting goggles and swim caps, they dove into crystal‑clear water for a city‑wide swim meet – the first such event organized by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks in ten years.
Renovations address decades of disinvestment
For generations, Baltimore’s predominantly Black neighborhoods received less than one‑third the investment given to surrounding white communities. Aging pools, many over 50 years old, were often closed for repairs, forcing families to travel multiple buses to find a functioning facility. Recreation and Parks Director Reginald Moore Sr., who joined the department in 2017, explained that neglect cost the city more in long‑term repairs than proactive renovation.
“We had pumps that dated back to the ’80s and had to ship replacement motors from California at great expense,” Moore said. “When assets aren’t maintained, communities lose faith because they can’t rely on the pool being open.”
New facilities bring modern amenities
Last year the city opened the Towanda Recreation Center, featuring an 8‑foot‑deep competition pool, a walk‑in pool with sprinklers, partial shade, reclining chairs and umbrella‑covered tables – part of a $20 million investment in three neighborhood aquatic upgrades.
In 2026 the $8 million Greater Model Aquatic Center opened, offering two pools, a bathhouse, and free access for all residents. A fifth renovation, City Springs, is slated for completion within two years.
Funding comes from federal relief and local resources
Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration allocated $41 million of federal COVID‑19 relief money, part of the $641 million Baltimore received under the American Rescue Plan Act, to fund the reconstruction. Ongoing maintenance will be supported by the city’s capital improvement program and additional state funding.
Community impact
Greater Model now welcomes roughly 150 visitors daily, up from the 60 patrons the old pool served. Vacshon Brown, manager of the renovated facility, recalled how the pool shaped his own childhood and now provides a safe haven for neighborhood youth.
“When the pool is open, families have an affordable place to cool off and kids can learn to swim in a supportive environment,” Brown said. “If it were to close again, the neighborhood would lose a vital gathering spot.”
Looking ahead
The city hired design firm CannonDesign to create a “kit of parts” – a modular system of bathhouse, pump house, two water bodies and security fencing – that can be adapted for future pool projects across Baltimore. The goal is to ensure every neighborhood eventually has two well‑maintained pools, eliminating the historic inequities that once left Black residents with only one of the city’s seven public pools.
As the renovations continue, Baltimore officials stress that providing free, modern swimming facilities supports family health, offers youth a constructive activity, and restores a sense of pride to communities long denied equal amenities.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
