Recent Roosevelt Island Burglaries Cause Westview Resident To Ask For Separate Public Entrance To Westview Pool When It Reopens

In light of recent Roosevelt Island burglaries, Westview resident and swimmer Roberta Kleiman is concerned about non residents entering Westview to use the building's pool when it reopens.

Image Of Westview Building Pool From Roberta Kleiman

Ms. Kleiman reports:

Westview Pool Needs a Public Entrance

Just because something had been done in the past doesn’t make it right or in our best interest to continue. As I walked past the Westview Pool last week on the way to my Westview apartment, I saw that the pool looked like it was getting ready to reopen. Then I began to think about the rash of burlaries in Westview recently, and became increasingly uncomfortable with the many people, particularly non-pool members, who would soon be walking unescorted down our hallways, from 625 to 595, and into the 595 elevators and stairwells.

I contacted both RY Management and the Westview Task Force. The main gists of the messages I received from both were that membership cards are checked, and we have always done it this way. I find this reasoning troubling and illogical.

For many years the users of the Westview pool were almost entirely members and their guests. Only these members and accompanying guests were entering the building. There were no daily users, paying a daily entrance fee. There were no teams and their families coming to practice in the pool. There were no school groups. There were no coaches and individual lessons. Slowly other things have also changed on Roosevelt Island. Little by little the Island population has probably tripled. Crime has dramatically risen on the island, and burglaries are now commonplace in Westview. When the pool was last open, individuals coming to swim who payed a daily $5 entrance fee had become the norm. Many groups are using the pool. Pool usage seems to have dramatically risen by non-members. That's why I say, this public pool needs a separate public entrance! Westview pool had become a wonderful resource for the community. However, since this pool resides in a private apartment building, it puts the security of Westview residents at risk if the public is allowed to walk unescorted through our hallways and into our elevators.

If a long standing policy is no longer in the best interest of Westview tenants safety and security, it must be changed! Please do not reopen Westview Pool until you have created a separate entrance.