Marquette Pool Fence ReCreated

Dutchtown South Community Corporation

In recent years, Marquette Park has become a site of renewed interest in the Dutchtown neighborhood. Pool parties, fundraising events, back to school fairs, and dance festivals in the park have all contributed to growing attention, excitement, and care for the park. Even in the midst of a pandemic, neighborhood residents are invested in the future of this park. One key issue at the park is the fence around the pool and the overall design of the outdoor pool space. The current fencing has barbed wire, which is fairly uncommon for public pools in our region and is considered by many residents to be, at best, an eyesore, and at worst, a symbol of the criminalization of low and moderate-income neighborhoods.

This project consists of a design competition aimed at completely transforming the current fence from a piece of low-quality infrastructure into a high-quality piece of functional public art. The hope is that the new fence can also serve as a cultural asset to create a new sense of place and purpose at the pool. Dutchtown South Community Corporation will work with local artists and creatives to implement a series of COVID-friendly engagement stations and activities where residents can share their ideas about the pool fence and overall park usage. It will also update and replace current signage at the pool that deals with regulations, rules, and pool safety, as well as develop additional signage to make navigation at the pool easier for residents in Summer 2021.

Visit Dutchtown South Community Corporation’s website here.