I went swimming recently at the Asphalt Green community center in Manhattan’s Battery Park City. The pool, which has six lanes that extend for 25 yards, opened in June. The depth runs from 3’ 6” at one end to nine feet at the other.
The pool is part of a 52,000-square-foot facility that includes a fitness area, locker rooms and basketball courts. The building, which occupies three levels, has earned a LEED gold-level certification for environmental friendliness.
Swimmers can leave the locker rooms and walk directly into the pool area.
The pool feels wonderful. Lanes are marked by green lines on the bottom and divided by blue and green dividers. While swimming, I loved looking at the pool’s bottom, which has none of the grime that can build up between tiles. The walls felt great on flip turns. The water was crystal clear.
After my swim and a shower, I thanked the people at the front desk, headed into the sunshine, boarded a Citi Bike and pedaled along Hudson River Park. The ride took me past Tribeca and the West Village and the new Whitney Museum that’s under construction