Got an empty pool? With drought a perennial topic in the news and outdoor pools requiring major water inputs (just like grass), back in 2015 when the drought was pretty bad, a lot of communities placed restrictions on pools that some people found severe. Although the drought has lingered and last summer’s water restrictions were equally severe, they didn’t necessarily include pools, which left some people confused and feeling slighted.
Nevertheless, if you’re one of those who have chosen to leave your pool empty, you might be wondering what to do with all that empty space. We challenged ourselves to come up with 50 ideas for your empty pool, and we met that challenge, along with a few extra for good measure.
50 Alternative Uses for Your Empty Pool
Is your pool empty?
Here are more than 50 ideas for your empty pool. If you’re lucky enough to build that recirculating farm in #18, please send photos, because we’re all jealous.
1. Skate park
2. Dog skate park
3. Roller rink
4. Racquetball court
5. Handball court
6. Volleyball “equalizer” court (tall folk in the deep end, short folk in the shallow end)
7. Dog park
8. Cat corral
9. Beekeeping co-op
10. Ferret hiding spot (Looking at you, CA, HI, DC & NYC)
11. Underground nightclub
12. Improv troupe practice space
13. Experimental theater space
14. Art space
15. Really big herb garden
16. Moderate-sized veggie garden
17. Tiny fruit orchard
18. All-in-one veggie/fish/chicken farm
19. Hopscotch arena
20. Foursquare stadium
21. Jump rope amphitheater
22. Coolest outdoor sleepover spot on the block
23. Shadow puppet venue
24. Impromptu a cappella group contest setting
25. Outdoor movie theater
26. LARPing (Live Action Role Play) pitch
27. Tight rope practice space (shallow end, please)
28. Tiger trap
29. Recording studio (The reverb!)
30. Open-air home office
31. Open-air survivalist bunker
32. Giant fire pit
33. Outdoor yoga studio
34. Trampoline pit
35. Beginner jai alai practice space
36. Venice Boardwalk-style outdoor gym
37. Outdoor tanning salon
38. Street art museum
39. Graffiti tagging spot for no-good teen neighbor
40. Sandbox
41. Sand bathing business
42. Mosquito breeding center
43. Tech start-up incubator
44. Extra-challenging putting green
45. Difficult shuffleboard court
46. Unwinnable bocce court
47. Impossible croquet course
48. Toddler walking practice venue (Padding not included)
49. Ironic spot for your kiddie pool
50. Fake pool
Extras
51. Really cool outdoor sunken cocktails lounge
52. Airbnb-like campground (no rocks!)
53. Forest bathing (although you’ll need to add some forest)
54. Rain garden (it never rains in California, but it pours, and rain gardens can help)
Originally published at GRACE’s former blog Ecocentric by Peter Hanlon on 06.16.2015.
Image: Derelict Motel Swimming Pool Southwest USA. Credit: @Paul