Home > Journals > IJARE > Vol. 15 > No. 1 (October 2025)
Disciplines
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Health and Physical Education | Kinesiology | Political Economy | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | Sports Management | Sports Sciences | Sports Studies
Abstract
Public swimming pools are a vital part of America’s recreation and sport culture since the early 1900’s. Municipal swimming pools were initially built to provide recreation and hygiene to urban communities, regardless of race or class. However, a complex history of segregation, civil unrest, suburbanization, and funding challenges has resulted in a significant decline in public pools, depriving many communities of vital recreational spaces. In many communities, options for sustaining the operation of swimming pools have resulted in pool closures. Unfortunately, once swimming pools close, especially those in aging neighborhoods in central city areas, they are seldom resurrected. They quickly decay and become not only eye sores but also the targets of vandalism and other negative acts. Thus, these decaying structures become primary targets for eminent domain and demolition. One of the key recommendations this educational essay offers is the development of an integrated system for tracking the number of eminent domain filings by state and local jurisdiction, especially where public swimming pools are concerned. Additionally, the essay encourages active citizen involvement and community involvement in monitoring public policies such as the misuse of eminent domain that leads to excessive condemnations of physical structures that could be rehabilitated.
Recommended Citation
Waller, Steven N. Ph.D. and Bemiller, James H.
(2025)
"If We Tear it Down, We Might Build You a New One: The Troublesome Use of Eminent Domain and Urban Neighborhood Swimming Pools,"
International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education: Vol. 15:
No.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol15/iss1/8
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