Hey, isn’t that famous U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps? Nope. That’s a lifeless wax figure built to look like him.
Staffers with D.C.’s Department of Parks and Recreation helped unveil the statue — which would resemble U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps if he was magically frozen in time — at Banneker Pool (2500 Georgia Ave. NW) earlier this morning.
A small crowd of people gathered to see and pose with the wax man with the thousand yard stare earlier today:
Such a great time @ @DCWax unveiling!! S/O 2 everyone who came out today. #Rio2016 #MichaelPhelps #OlympicsTorch ^RN pic.twitter.com/V2pAVzVxwp
— DCParksAndRecreation (@DCDPR) August 5, 2016
What’s with the faux-Phelps? The statue is the creation of Madame Tussauds, the wax museum chain that attracts scores of tourists downtown each year. Presumably, the wax dummy will now head to the museum, where it will be imprisoned for all time.
And more importantly: can it swim? Depending on what else it’s made of, possibly. Wax is fairly buoyant. It’s unclear, however, whether anyone threw it in the pool to test it out.
Photo via Twitter / DCDPR
The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation is planning to give locals some extra time to cool off at public pools in West End and on Georgia Avenue this week.
With a heat emergency in effect, DPR is keeping the Francis Pool (2435 N St. NW) open until 9 p.m. today and tomorrow, an hour later than usual. The Banneker Pool (2500 Georgia Ave. NW), which is closed on Thursdays, also won’t shut down as scheduled at 8 p.m. Friday, staying open until 9 p.m. instead.
The pools are free for D.C. residents.
To help prevent heat-related emergencies, the D.C. government recommends visiting cooling centers and spray parks, in addition to pools.
Photo via Instagram/D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation
The District’s “#SplishSplashSummer” is on its way to public pools in West End and near Howard University with free after-hours swimming and music from DJs.
Tomorrow, Banneker Pool at 2500 Georgia Ave. NW is slated to open from 7 to 11 p.m. as part of the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation’s annual Summer Late Night Pool Party Series, according to an online event posting. The pool normally closes at 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
Locals of all ages are encouraged to RSVP online for the Banneker Pool party.
On Saturday, Aug. 20, West End’s Francis Pool at 2535 N St. NW also is scheduled to stay open late and host a DJ. But DPR hasn’t released a website to RSVP for that party yet.
Photo via Flickr/awiseman
Here’s your last chance to cannonball into a local pool at night before next summer.
Banneker Pool (2500 Georgia Ave. NW) will host its last late-night pool party of the season this Saturday from 7-11:30 p.m. The pool previously hosted a late night pool party in July.
Like last time, attendees of all ages are free to splash around in the pool while bobbing their heads to music from a live DJ.
A photo ID is required to attend, and D.C. Parks and Recreation has requested that guests RSVP online beforehand.
Photo via Flickr/awiseman
The end of summer is almost here.
Borderstan residents only have a few weeks left to cannonball into their local public pools before the District closes them for the season.
The closures in the Borderstan area will begin on Aug. 23 with the Happy Hollow Children’s Pool at 2200 Champlain Street NW and the Park View Children’s Pool at 693 Otis Place NW, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation announced yesterday.
On Sept. 7, the area will lose Banneker Pool (2500 Georgia Avenue NW) and Francis Pool (2435 N Street NW).
The pools will be open until 6 p.m. on their final days.
Additionally, all of the District’s spray parks will stop spraying for the season on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.
Photo via flickr/awiseman
Swimmers will be able to splash well into the night at Banneker Pool tomorrow.
The D.C. Department of Recreation will host its second annual “A Splish Splash Summer” late night party at the pool, located at 2500 Georgia Avenue NW, from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m.
A live DJ will spin tunes during the pool party.
The event series is free and open to all ages. A photo ID is required to attend.
Photo via Flickr/awiseman
