Category:Cedar Beach Pool, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Cedar Beach Pool is the most popular feature of Cedar Creek Park in Allentown. It is located east of Ott Street and south of Cedar Creek, and accessible by a park road for the public.

The origional pool was a private entity, operated by a private buisness, being initially built in 1917, a year after the park opened. The 'pool' was actually a pit dug out next to Cedar Creek, and the bottom of the pit was lined with sand . It was more of an artificial lake, with the sand being extended outside of the pool/lake to give it a 'beach', along with the grassy area to lay out and enjoy. The pool had slides, and diving boards to enjoy. This is the source of the name "Cedar Beach", that remains in use today. A large wooden poolhouse was built in a north-south direction along with a snack bar and other amenities. After each season, the water from Cedar Creek was blocked and the pool drained. Then the sandy bottom was refurbished and thoroughly cleaned. The pool was noted for many years as the largest of its kind in the United States.

In 1932, the pool was purchased by the city by the City of Allentown. In turn, it was leased back to a private operator. The leasing arrangement continued until January 1942, when a massive fire burned down the wooden bathhouse and snack bar. The city replaced it with a temporary facility until 1950 when the Commonwealth ordered Cedar Beach Pool closed due to health concerns with regards to the facility being a possible source of the Poliovirus (the Jordan Park pool was also closed for the same reason by the Commonwealth).

After the closure, the pool was completely re-constructed, and after planning and bidding was completed, construction began on a new concrete pool and facilities in April 1951. Cedar Beach re-opened in June 1952. Cracking in the concrete forced the pool to close at the end of 2014 for reconstruction. The pool reopened at the end of 2018, when it opened it had many new features added.