With summer just around the corner, families in Bayview-Hunters Point will come together on Saturday, May 20 for a free Community Swim Day at Martin Luther King Jr. Pool, located at 5701 Third St., San Francisco Recreation and Park Department officials announced today.
The free event goes from 1 to 4 p.m. and will feature swimming from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., as well as aquatic activities, lawn games, giveaways, and information on swimming resources for residents.
The event is in celebration of National Water Safety Month in May, as well as the pool’s reopening in late March following upgrades to its roof and other repairs.
Water safety for children, particularly in Bayview-Hunters Point, is a major focus for Rec and Park. Its popular Bayview Safety Swim and Splash (BSSS) program is currently wrapping up its spring session. Based out of MLK Pool, BSSS is a free learn-to-swim program for elementary school students living or attending school in the 94124 ZIP code. The program, which launched in 2022 as a partnership between the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the YMCA of San Francisco, ensures that Bayview-Hunters Point youth develop confidence in the water and acquire lifelong skills, including floating, breathing, and how to swim to safety if needed. The program provides swimsuits, towels, and goggles.
“Water safety can mean survival in many cases, and ensuring children learn to swim was specifically identified as a goal by the Bayview-Hunters Point community,” SF Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg said. “We are building San Francisco’s next great park in the heart of the Bayview and it’s crucial that every resident can safely enjoy aquatic recreation.”
The BSSS program was developed through the India Basin Waterfront Park Project, a partnership between Rec and Park, Trust for Public Land, San Francisco Parks Alliance, A. Philip Randolph Institute, and the Bayview-Hunters Point Community. The program is outlined in the project’s Equitable Development Plan, which strives to provide community benefits and ensure that neighborhood residents benefit directly from the new park.
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