Lincoln Park Pool
Designing trust around a historic reopening
For decades, Lincoln Park Pool was more than a place to swim, it was a gathering point, a rite of passage, a memory-maker for generations of South End families. When it closed, something more than water was lost. It became a symbol of broken promises, delay, and disconnection.
As Lincoln Park Pool prepared to reopen after major reconstruction, I approached it not as an event planner — but as a systems builder.
My responsibility wasn’t just to tell people it was happening.
It was to decide how it should happen, in what order, and for whom first.
This project required equal parts storytelling, logistics, diplomacy, and care.
The Lincoln Park Pool didn’t just reopen.
It reintroduced a neighborhood to itself.
Snapshot.
CLIENT
City of Albany, NY
ROLE
Creative Director, Coordinator, Strategist
LOCATION
South End — Lincoln Park
SCOPE
Reopening campaign, messaging, access planning, on-site visibility, community coordination
FOCUS
Visibility, trust-building, capacity control, community-first access
The Context
After years of closure and a major reconstruction, the Lincoln Park Pool was ready to reopen — a moment filled with excitement, but also anxiety.
There were real concerns:
Will capacity be manageable?
Will the South End feel prioritized or pushed aside?
Will people show up at the wrong time?
Will communication reach the right communities?
This wasn’t just about opening a pool.
It was about reopening trust in a long-promised project.
Rather than jump straight to a single public opening, I designed a three-phase rollout centered on care, control, and community:
Designing How People Move, See, and Feel
Phase 1 — City Staff
A soft opening for municipal staff helped test logistics, gather feedback, and ensure operations were smooth before community arrival.
Phase 2 — South End Nonprofits & Residents
Local nonprofits served as the conduit — intentionally prioritizing the people most connected to the space. This ensured the South End experienced the pool first, not last.
Phase 3 — Public Access
Once processes were refined and messaging stabilized, the pool was opened broadly to the public.
This wasn’t just smart planning. It was relationship-centered sequencing.
Systems I Built
Visibility + Countdown
Installed fence pucks announcing the opening day — turning the site itself into a communication channel
Answered the most-asked question: “When is it happening?”
Capacity Control System
Created and implemented a control number to manage attendance
Helped prevent overcrowding and confusion
Narrative Coordination
Developed social content to build anticipation without panic
Helped shape the tone of press communications
Ensured the message remained community-focused, not just promotional
Event Planning + Execution
Coordinated photographer, layouts, signage, and on-site needs
Supported press conference and ribbon cutting logistics
Acted as the bridge between departments, leadership, and community partners
Why The Nonprofit Conduit Mattered
Using South End nonprofits as the primary conduit wasn’t just strategic — it was ethical.
It ensured:
Information moved through trusted community partners
Residents felt considered, not sidelined
Access was guided by relationships, not bureaucracy
The moment felt shared — not staged
This project wasn’t just about a building reopening.
It was about a neighborhood being seen again.
The Impact
Lincoln Park Pool reopened not as a chaotic rush but as a controlled, celebrated, meaningful return.
The rollout resulted in:
Calm, managed access
Strong community turnout
Positive press moments
Reduced confusion + conflict
A sense of pride and ownership in the South End
Why This Work Matters
Anyone can announce an opening.
But it takes design thinking to ask:
Who should experience this first? And how will it feel when they do?
This work required creativity, empathy, logistics, storytelling, and risk management — all at once
