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Pond-emonium Frog Pond Spray Pool Springs to Life

By Carissa Dessin

Feature Photo: Frog Pond Freddie performed the Cupid Shuffle (Terrance Lorn/NEHSJC)

Children shrieked and laughed as the announcer began his countdown from 10. They slipped in anticipation, impatiently waiting to be released into the bubbling fountains that lined the tiled ground. Mist began landing on everyone as the smell of chlorine filled the air. The fountain erupted and the Frog Pond Spray Pool opening ceremony was off to a roaring start.

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Three-year-old Leo Purvis couldn’t contain his excitement in the shallow water as he played catch with his mother, Elizabeth Purvis. They frequently visit the Frog Pond in the summer and the ice skating rink in the winter.

“We love the Frog Pond,” Elizabeth Purvis said. ”Here in the city, it’s so hot in the summer, so it’s important for them to have a place to cool off and play with other kids.” As a proud Boston resident, Elizabeth Purvis and her family plan to stay in Boston and are “grateful for things like this that make it so great to live here.”

Grace Burke, marketing and communication specialist of the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, helped promote the event in person and on social media and worked with press outlets to get the word out.

Growing up in Boston and visiting the pool as a kid, Burke was glad to play a role in keeping the tradition alive. “[The most rewarding part] of this is watching how excited the kids get when we countdown from 10 for them to get into the pool — it’s almost impossible to hold them back,” she said.

New Boston resident Jessica Gibson found out about this opening event after her husband read a poster promoting the celebration and decided to attend. “[My family] loves community events and it’s so fun to see so many kids and families,” Gibson said.

Gibson’s first week in Boston truly lived up to her and her husband’s expectations. “This is one of the big reasons why we wanted to move to the city,” she said. “We wanted events like this and a sense of community.”

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