August 2011

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ESRI Shapefile and ArcGIS 9 LYR file

Overview

This point datalayer contains the location of 45 pools in Massachusetts that are owned and/or operated by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Pool types include swimming, wading, diving and spray deck. The layer was developed by the DCR GIS Program and is based on DCR State and Urban Park pool listings as of August 23, 2011.

This point datalayer is updated at the beginning of each season. For the most up to date information on the status of a DCR pool, please refer to http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/pools.htm.

The layer is stored in ArcSDE and distributed as DCRPOOLS_PT.

Production

A list of pools was obtained from the Division of State Parks and Recreation and the Division of Urban Parks and Recreation. Each pool was on-screen digitized using a variety of sources (address information provided on http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/pools.htm, ortho imagery, pictometry, etc.). Each pool type and status was verified with ortho imagery and pictometry and, if necessary, by DCR District Managers. Lifeguard status was verified via the DCR Waterfront Services Schedule (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/waterfront.pdf). Universal accessibility was verified by the DCR Universal Access Program and DCR District Managers. Physical addresses and phone numbers were imported from the DCR Pools website (above) and verified or refined to the greatest extent possible. Each pool name was researched in the Massachusetts Acts and Resolves Session Laws from 1692 to 2008 (available via the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance website). The applicable legislation was recorded in the LEGISLATION field. Finally, the REGION and DISTRICT fields were populated via a spatial join between this datalayer and an in-house DCR regions and districts datalayer.

Attributes

The DCR Pools datalayer's point attribute table has the following items:
NAME Official name of pool
TYPE Type of pool (types may be combined):
  SwimmingWater depth of at least two feet.
  WadingWater depth between one inch and two feet.
  DivingWater depth of at least ten feet.
  Spray Deck   Zero water depth; may spray continuously or on demand.
STATUS Pool status ("Open" or "Closed" (temporary))
LIFEGUARD Level of lifeguard staffing ("YES" or "NO")
ACCESSIBLE Level of universal accessibility ("YES" or "NO")
ADDRESS Physical address of pool
TOWN Town where pool is located
PHONE Phone number of pool or facility where pool is located
DIVISION DCR division where pool is located
REGION DCR region where pool is located
DISTRICT DCR district where pool is located
LABEL Abbreviated pool name, appropriate for map labels
LEGISLATION Legislation designating official pool name
COMMENTS Additional information about pool

Maintenance

DCR maintains this datalayer and will provide updates to MassGIS. In July 2009 the Olsen Pool in Boston had its type changed to "Swimming Pool and Spray Deck". In July 2010 attribute updates included Petro Pool being closed and Thompson Pool being open. Other minor updates are also included, but nothing that impacts the datalayer’s unique ID field, spatial accuracy or symbology. In August 2011 attribute updates include the Connors Pool opening summer 2012; the Johnson Pool's STATUS to closed; no lifeguard at Beaver Brook Spray Deck; and no comments for the Dilboy Pool.

Last Updated 8/23/2011