Photo: Madison Rogers / WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — At the renovated Boston Centers for Youth & Families Paris Street Pool in East Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that funding will allow for free swimming lessons citywide as part of the "Swim Safe" initiative.
The announcement Thursday comes alongside the reopening of the Paris Street Pool, which recently underwent a $10.2 million renovation that took three years to complete.
"We're partnering with the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club this summer to offer 500 free swim lessons to young people at pools across our city— making all of Boston's natural beauty and resources safe, affordable, accessible, and enjoyable for all of our Boston residents," Wu said.
Wu goes on to say that 1,000 free lifejackets will be going towards Boston's beaches as well. The swim lessons are for kids aged between three to 12 years old, as part of the $500,000 budget allotted for Swim Safe this year through BCYF.
"We have an opportunity to ensure that every body of water in Boston is safe for all of our families and young people to cool off and have fun. Disparity has spanned generations— one in four black parents in the United States never learned to swim. One in three Latino parents never learned to swim. For white parents, it's one in 25. The impacts of these disparities are passed down to our young people," Wu said.
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With that, Mayor Wu took a dip in the pool herself, and shared a promotional video on Instagram calling for prospective lifeguards to answer the call.
WBZ's Madison Rogers (@madisonwbz) reports.
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