Save for the sweat beading on his forehead, Mayor Adrian Fenty on Monday stayed dry as he kicked off the summer pool season.
Fenty defied an eight-year tradition when he declined to jump into the Langdon Park public swimming pool to launch “DC Summer Fun.” Former Mayor Anthony Williams made the annual event a must-see as he cannonball-dived into the chosen pool of the year.
Fenty, wearing all but the jacket of his black suit, simply blew a whistle and let other people get wet.
The Department of Parks and Recreation started the season with a carnival at Langdon Park in far Northeast, where thousands of D.C. youth enjoyed rides, games and entertainment.
The District’s 19 outdoor pools are free to all city residents again this year thanks to a $40,000 grant from AmeriGroup Community Care.
“We’re signifying to all the residents of the District of Columbia that the government knows that unless we have positive opportunities for young people throughout the city, that we are just leaving them to be idle and leaving them to do other things that aren’t positive,” Fenty said.
About 12,500 D.C. youth who sought summer jobs were referred for employment by the Department of Employment Services. DC Summer Fun includes more than 150 programs for youth, from camps to summer school, all geared toward providing safe, engaging activities for young people and keeping them off the streets.
DPR Interim Director Wanda Durden said all public pools opened on time and are fully staffed with lifeguards.
The District had problems hiring enough lifeguards by the start of pool season in recent summers.
