Jemira Spriggs was in a bind.

The Essex mother of four needed to find a way to help her kids, ages 7 to 17, beat the heat and humidity this summer, but there were no public pools accessible in Baltimore County.

The Community College of Baltimore County graduate had an idea and contacted her representative, Sen. Carl Jackson, and wrote to CCBC President Sandra Kurtinitis.

As a result, the college opened the pool at CCBC Essex for community swim Monday through Thursday for the next week and a half until Friday, Aug. 15.

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“Sen. Jackson asked us, ‘Can we solve this?’” Kurtinitis said. “And we said, ‘Of course we can solve this.’”

Spriggs explained that private clubs across the county were unaffordable and she doesn’t live in a townhome or apartment complex with a pool.

Jemira Spriggs spurred the opening of the pool when she wrote a letter asking if the pool on campus could be used for community members. She was awarded an honorary swimming medal from the Essex Swim Club. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)

‘Small but meaningful step’

During a news conference Wednesday morning, outside the campus’s pool doors, Jackson and Kurtinitis acknowledged that the next 10 days of community swim will be a temporary solution.

Both the senator and college president said they were talking about a permanent fix to open public access to pools at CCBC’s Essex, Dundalk and Catonsville campuses.

Jackson explained that The Baltimore Banner’s recent article about the county’s public pool access being rooted in segregation and racism accelerated those conversations.

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“By opening the CCBC Essex pool, we are taking a small but meaningful step toward correcting that history and providing our residents with the safe, shared spaces they deserve,” he said.

Kurtinitis said providing access to a free public pool is ingrained in the college’s mission to serve Baltimore County.

“If community is in your first name, then you pay lots of attention to the needs of the community,” she said. “And this is one that’s easy to respond to.”

Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, president of the Community College of Baltimore County, and Sen. Carl Jackson speak at a press conference announcing the opening of the CCBC Essex pool for temporary public use. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)

When can I swim?

For the next 10 days Baltimore County residents can access the pool inside CCBC Essex’s Wellness and Athletic Center during the following hours:

  • Mondays & Wednesdays: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
  • Tuesdays & Thursdays: Noon – 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Special Hours: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11 and Wednesday, Aug. 13

All county residents interested in participating must check into the pool area inside the athletic center and sign the necessary waivers.

You can visit the college’s website for more information about the CCBC Essex pool.