McCarren Park Pool Pre-Renovation Courtesy of Wiki Commons

At this point, the surprise at seeing Greenpoint’s McCarren Park Pool linked to aggression in the headlines has seriously worn off. At the risk of downplaying the gravity of the violence, the pool is becoming something of a sitting duck.

(by Alissa Fleck)

On Tuesday, police actually required backup to deal with chaos at the notorious pool, as sweltering temperatures got tempers flaring. A witness told the Daily News he felt “in the air” something bad was going to happen, but it sounds like rowdy young adults were the only thing in the air yesterday. The entire situation erupted over backflips and people being thrown in the pool, Gothamist reports.

After lifeguards—probably not paid nearly enough—attempted to close down the pool Tuesday when reprimands fell on deaf ears, some pool-goers resisted commands to vacate and decided to jump back in anyway, reports Gothamist. Police had to tackle aggressors to the ground amid sprinklers, in what sounds like—again, not to downplay the peril—a comical scene. The cops deployed pepper spray on aggressive pool-goers. Three men were arrested in total, one for assaulting an officer, and two for disorderly conduct.

Gothamist reports one woman’s reaction to the frenzy outside the pool: “I’m done with this pool, it’s too much. I’m never coming back here,” she said. This follows a long string of troubling incidents at the pool this summer, including brawls, robberies and defecation.

According to the NYC Government website, “[McCarren Park] pool was closed in 1984 after the facility, suffering from vandalism and an alleged drug haven, became too dilapidated. $6.5 million in funding to renovate the facility was included in the 1984-85 budget, but plans stalled after neighbors successfully stopped the project, worried that illicit activity would return.”

Apparently the negatively reputed site is just cursed with bad luck, as it seems you’re more likely to witness violence and horror than not on any given day. The NYPD has nevertheless reported everyone is safe at the pool, saying there are always many cops present.

Photo by Johnia!

By Paul Bisceglio

Add this to your list of laws you never knew you participated in breaking: outdoor brunch in the city is illegal on Sunday mornings.

The obscure 1971 law that forbids restaurants from serving customers outside on Sundays before noon has long been ignored, but recent complaints of crowded sidewalks by residents in Greenpoint, Brooklyn prompted the city to crack down on violators.

According to CBS New York, the city ticketed one business and issued a summons to another.

In support of local business owners and brunch lovers, lawmakers have introduced a bill to city council that would allow patrons to dine at sidewalk tables on Sundays starting at 10 a.m.

“New Yorkers will not be denied their Sunday brunch in the beautiful weather,” said Council Member Dan Garodnick in a statement. “This regulation is outdated, widely disregarded and hostile to business and brunch-loving New Yorkers. It needs to change.”

According to CBS, the Sunday brunch bill is widely supported and expected to pass.