BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A Baltimore City public pool in east Baltimore was forced to close Wednesday after an intruder got inside the facility overnight, leaving graffiti and feces behind.
Pool operator Shalay Rogers said she arrived Wednesday morning at the Ambrose Kennedy Swimming Pool and discovered signs someone had trespassed.
“It was somebody that got in the pool after hours,” Rogers said.
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Rogers said she found graffiti at the facility and then noticed feces near the gate by the deep end.
“So after walking around, deep end, I saw by the gate a little small nugget of feces,” she said.
Rogers said she used a net to remove it.
I had to use the net. And by using the net, because it broke up, that was doo-doo. We had to close it,” she said.
Baltimore Recreation and Parks officials said when fecal matter is found in pool water, staff must run the filtration system throughout the day to properly treat and sanitize the water.
The closure disrupted plans for some visitors, including Ella Jackson, who arrived with her two granddaughters expecting to swim.
“Why would you come in a pool and poop? I don’t understand. I think that’s really crazy and very awful, and disrespect to this pool,” Jackson said.
The incident is part of a broader pattern this year. Baltimore City public pools have faced at least five separate closures connected specifically to vandalism incidents, with many facilities dealing with fecal contamination.
Last month, the Towanda Recreation Center pool had to be drained and cleaned after trash and broken glass were found in the water.
Taxpayer advocate David Williams said repeated vandalism and shutdowns could become expensive.
“Taxpayers and city officials should be taking this very seriously,” Williams said. “Whether it’s graffiti or other stuff found in the pool, this needs to be taken care of because it’s a health issue and this is going to cost taxpayers money.”
Baltimore Recreation and Parks responded to questions about potential costs, saying, “There is no additional cost to taxpayers for pool vandalism incidents and related cleanup.”
The Ambrose Kennedy Swimming Pool is expected to reopen during normal hours Thursday. Jackson said she plans to return.
“I’m coming back tomorrow, most definitely because that one incident is not going to stop me from coming to this pool, because of my grandkids,” she said.
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