A melee today shut down a newly renovated pool at McCarren Park in Brooklyn a day after it reopened — after lifeguards were attacked by a rowdy group of teens.
“Lifeguards at McCarren Pool were attacked by an unruly crowd, and the pool had to close to restore order,” Parks Department spokeswoman Vickie Karp said.
Karp said the incident occurred around 6:15 p.m., less than hour before the Olympic-sized pool on the Greenpoint-Williamsburg border was expected to close for the night.
There were no serious injuries, and the pool is expected to reopen Saturday morning, she added.
Witnesses said a group of teens started the trouble by doing back-flips in the pool and then attacking one of the lifeguards who tried to get them to stop.
“Was just @ mccarren pool to witness a gigantic brawl between lifeguards an hs kids,” tweeted @MISTER—AOK. “Full riot w ppl elbow dropping offa lifeguard chairs.”
“Life guard assaulted, nearly drowned by group of kids; McCarren Pool closes early today. Sadface,” tweeted @apsmithnyc.
McCarren Pool reopened Thursday following a $50 million renovation. Mayor Bloomberg was on hand at the gala ribbon-cutting ceremony, saying the pool “has an illustrious past and a bright future.”¶ After closing in 1984, it remained an empty basin until 2005 when it was briefly turned into a venue for concerts and movies.
The pool was built by the New Deal-era Works Progress Administration, and was first opened in 1936 by then-Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and then-Parks Commissioner Robert Moses.