After coming here for the past few weeks, I feel it's time to leave a review. I've lived within walking distance for four years, but never visited the pool despite LOVING swimming and HATING sitting around my apartment in the summer heat. First of all, my review is not comparing it to some fancy rooftop pool downtown with bottle service. I am reviewing this pool for what it is - a free, state-run pool in Brighton. That said, this pool is a gem. Parking lot if you're from elsewhere, or on-street parking for Allston/Brighton residents. The locker rooms and bathrooms are what you would expect from a public facility. The water is clean, though I haven't swum down to the surface with goggles to check the filters/bottom. As someone else said, there is a bit of hair in the pool that kind of gets tangled in your hands every so often. Hair is one thing that grosses me out but I don't wear a swim cap so don't expect anyone else to. If you're here to swim laps, you're not going to have the best time or the most effective workout, because while there are lines painted on the bottom, there are no lane markers and no lane enforcement. There's also no adults only or lap swim time, which apparently there used to be. It's on 5 feet in the deep end, which is one whole half of the pool, so at least that area tends to be free of small children and even most kids. Bring your own chair, umbrella, snacks, Bluetooth speaker, cooler of food, friends from out of town or abroad. I only ever hear the lifeguards blow their whistles when someone is running on the deck or swims behind the ladders. The hours are kind of tough for anyone who has a regular 9-5 job and it's a bummer that they're only open during school summer vacation, but it's free and that makes it pretty hard to find anything to truly complain about. There is a handicapped lift in/out of the pool but there is no outdoor shower, so the signs telling you that you must shower before entering the pool are kind of pointless, because no one does. read more

Lovely swimming pool, had so many fun afternoons at this pool. Beautiful because it's on the water

For a free, public pool, this place is great. Bring your own towels/ chairs and plop yourself down anywhere around the pool. I found the water to be very clean and the area to be sanitary; however, I did not check the restrooms. They do not allow food, but there are picnic tables inside the attached building for eating. All ages there - young to old and everywhere in between! Pool depths range from 4-5 feet. Most people are wading, but I saw one person swim laps. There are no lap lanes. read more

Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool - Swimming Pools Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

I went around 4:45pm today. It was a summer rain day so maybe that's why i was the only one. I couldn't get on-deck until the lifeguards walked out from their office. I'm not a good swimmer and did four laps poorly. Afterwards i asked some of the staff what to do about painful ears. They cheerfully offered two tips: swimming cap and swimmers' earplugs. read more

I have come two times now and feel I can adequately review the property. Clean blue pool that reaches up to 5 feet. It sits along a busy road so you will hear traffic but it's a free pool so you can't really complain. While they appear to be doing some interior renovations, for the time being you can use the porter potties outside. They have one of those fancy porter potty trailers by don't be fooled. Both times I came, it was absolutely disgusting inside. Avoid those and stick to the blue porters (I know, not the best options but eh). The location opens at 11:15 and closes at 6:45. Be prepared as it is strictly pavement around the pool so if you plan on lying out, consider how hard the ground is. Beach chairs are allowed so bring one if you have one. While I believe the rules are "no food", I see lots of people with coolers and some guests even picked up pizza slices from across the street and ate at the pool. So the no food rule is clearly not enforced and it's great. My 4 star rating is based upon the nice Clean pool but deducted for the cleanliness of the bathrooms that are available to the public. read more

Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool - Swimming Pools Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

See all

A lovely spot to swim and relax in the summer. Great community and greet neighborhood.

Nice, clean pool for the most part. New Covid-19 rules: no eating in the facility, must have mask on if you're not swimming, and you have to leave the deck every two hours for 30 minutes for cleaning and managing chlorine levels? The bathrooms/showers are open. It's not as busy as I thought it might be so don't worry about going before they reach capacity (75 people). read more

Huge, clean pool with the cleanest DCR bathrooms I've seen. Granted they may be considered dirty if you actually paid to go here but think about how dirty the bathrooms are at the Hatch Shell/Nantasket/Castle Island. The depth ranges from 3 feet to 6 feet so it's good for kids. They have lifeguards too though I only saw 2 on at a time the whole time I was there and all the other guards were sitting inside (they couldn't have been on break yet because it just opened.) I guess that's how they do it when it's not very crowded out. As long as no one's dead in the pool undetected for days we can't complain, right? Bring a chair if you have one because sitting on a towel on concrete is not so cozy. When you're done swimming there are a bunch of places nearby to get food. Also it's close to the T stop. read more

Take your chair or the ants will eat you up! great pool nice and clean. life guard on duty at all time. read more

Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool - Swimming Pools Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

It's really good. Besides the fact at some points they make you get out of the pool for 15 minutes so life guards can swim. It's great! Totally recommend. read more

Living in the city can be rough in the summer. It's hot, there's lots of tourists, and if there is a breeze, its probably full of stuff you don't want to smell. This summer, a few friends and I found this pool that was near BC, where we were at summer classes. The perks?It is in a great location, right in the middle of Cleveland Circle, but hidden. You wouldn't even know it is there if you drive right past it. It is also totally free. You can bring in your own chairs, food etc... and just make a day out of it. The pool is certainly refreshing. The flaws? It's a community pool. That being said, I probably would only feel safe swimming in it first in the morning, after it has been treated. Getting there at 1 some days, there is just hundreds of kids/campers/families.... it's so so overwhleming. However, if you plan it right and get there early, it can serve the purpose of bronzing and cooling off. read more

Nice pool for the "city" still hear traffic and horns but it's not bad and it's free. They have bathrooms by the entrance (two portapotties & a m/w trailer) for basic needs. It gets a bid crowded after 1 but it's free. We went for the first time today and they closed it around 2 for "a few hours" because I guess there was a huge paint/fume odor from inside. It looked like some construction was going on and the paint was overwhelming so they closed for the day basically. Nice pool and it is what it is. You want your private pool and lavish bathrooms buy a house outside the city and build one...cry babies. read more

Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool - Before the rush - Swimming Pools Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

I took my 2-year old son to the Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool in Cleveland Circle after work yesterday, one of the hottest days of the summer so far. It was great! The deep end was closed due to "murkiness" but the rest of the pool was clean and clear (we stayed in the shallow end). We arrived just before 6 pm and most of the day crowd was heading out, so it was not very crowded at all. The shallow end is 3 feet deep and the deep end is 10 feet deep. Patrons were mainly college-aged kids and families with young children. Note that their website says they are open until 7 pm but I called ahead and the manager on duty told me they usually close up around 6:30 or 6:45 pm. We just went for a quick dip and we will definitely go again! Likes: Not too crowded after work Water temperature was a lovely 82 degrees Water was very clean and clear - no floating debris in the water or on the deck Easy to wheel a stroller onto the pool deck T-accessible Changing area and bathrooms* * We didn't use the bathrooms, so I can't vouch for their cleanliness but they were present Free! Dislikes: No shaded areas in the water (bring your sunglasses), but I was able to park the stroller in the shade of the building Large changing room is "locker-room" style - no privacy curtains No lockers that I noticed Concrete deck would not be comfortable for lounging, but bring a beach chair and you're all set (we weren't there to lounge) Wish it were open later read more

blistering hot heat oasis at your doorstep no, not a mirage I mean, I'm not really sure what makes this pool worthy of less than 5 stars. As already mentioned: it is near the T, there is tons of food around, and it's free. Back in the day when the deep end was like 1200 feet deep, I can understand the possible danger and grossness surrounding worriers thoughts, "What's down there?" On this side of Brighton, I don't wanna know. I can STILL understand the possible grossness of a FREE, PUBLIC, POOL. But I don't discriminate, chlorine makes us all equal. Now it only goes to 5 feet deep. There are life guards. Woo. There is about 2.5 (more like 5) feet of concrete surrounding the pool and around that a 10 foot high chain link fence. This makes for close quarters and wet bums and towels if you don't BYOC (bring your own chair). Not to mention the killer ants all along the edges. Luckily there is a pool nearby to jump in to... Unless it's the dreaded "Pool Check" that seems to last about half an hour every hour. Can't we have adult swim instead? Way better. Unfortunately, most of the people frequenting the pool are unsure of their adulthood. I do recommend checking it out on a hot day. You know you're curious. read more

Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool - Freeeeee! Be careful of ants or BYO chair. - Swimming Pools Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

I was devastated when I headed to Cleveland Circle Memorial Day weekend and saw this pool sitting empty (of people and water). I thought I'd read something about City of Boston budget cuts, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary on dcr.org. Trying to find a clean(ish) beach on a beautiful Saturday morning, I decided to check the dcr.org web site again, and JOY! This pool opened that same day! I went around 11 am, and I was one of the few people there are that time; it did become more crowded as the day went on, but not too bad. It's a free swimming pool!! The water is a little cold, but super refreshing on a hot day. I took my lounge chair, finished my book, and swam a couple of laps. Basically, it was heaven! read more

Rude staff. No working bathrooms. Lots of debris in the pool. This place shouldn't be open. Spoke with several others at the pool. All agreed. Lifeguards extremely rude.. read more

Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool - Swimming Pools Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

It's a great pool. They filled in the deep end before this summer, so now it's only about 5 ft deep, but otherwise it's fantastic. Nice and refreshing on a hot summer day. Plus it's free. It would be nice if they had a few more beach chairs to sit in, but there's enough concrete space around the pool to set down your towel or bring your own chair. Even on busy days, I haven't had any trouble finding a spot. read more

This used to be an ok place to swim. This year it's gone way down hill. There are people playing VERY loud music, even after more thsn one patron complained. I observed two lifeguards lookung at their phone, together for at least ten minutes. Not once glancing at the pool. It's not as clean as other area pools either. It's just close and free. read more

First off, the facilities/pool itself are a 5, hands down. The water is clear and clean (despite some understandable hair and debris in an outdoor pool that doesn't have a bathing cap requirement for people with long hair) and the shower room is among the cleanest DCR facilities I've used. Plus, the setting is just great: it gets sun all day, the scenery is appealing, and it's very close to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, which is among my favorite places in Boston. However, as a former aquatics professional, I have to say that the pool could be run better. Here are several suggestions for the DCR, pool management, and staff: 1. Open 1 hour earlier -- I appreciate that this facility rotates their lifeguards regularly, but the rotations seem awfully fast, and I can't help but notice that every time I'm there there are at least 2-3 lifeguards sitting in the office at any given time. I think the lifeguard rotations could be timed out less liberally to create more operating time without increasing cost or unduly burdening the lifeguard staff's attention to scanning and safety. Also, the operating times listed here are incorrect. The pool is open from 11:15-6:45. 2. Use the extended time to offer 90 minutes per day of designated lap swim time -- This pool is GREAT for laps, but because the pool is not programmed at all, swimming laps here creates myriad safety issues. Some swimmers will swim vertically while others swim horizontally at the same time. Some lap swimmers zig-zag all over the pool. Others enter the pool in an area where someone is already swimming and swim directly at them. Others just stand in the middle of an area where someone is already swimming or hang out on the walls chatting in a space that is clearly being used for laps. Then there's the issue of kids playing in the pool while adults are swimming laps. They're kids, so they play games like Marco Polo (a game that requires you to have your eyes closed) and generally roam about the pool. Parents with kids are no better -- I often am interrupted from my swim because a pair of adults and their small baby or child are suddenly just standing in the area where I've been swimming for 15-20 minutes. It's clear that the patrons here simply don't understand how to use pool space safely. And there is PLENTY of space in the 11:15-12:30 time slot when the lap swimmers use the pool, but due to a lack of structure from the management and lifeguards, safety becomes an issue for swimmers, children, and families alike. I don't want to be injured doing my workout and I certainly don't want to injure another person or a child. It shouldn't be up to the patrons of the pool to self-police how the pool space is used. 3. Designate an on-foot lifeguard to educate pool patrons about pool etiquette and safety -- Toward the above point, not enough is done to help people understand how to share the pool safely. As I said before, there is plenty of space in this pool in the morning for lap swimmers to get a workout in, but there needs to be a lifeguard on foot, patrolling the pool, instructing patrons on how to share the space. The lifeguards have the authority, and it should be incumbent upon them to use that authority to create a safe swimming environment for everyone. Given that there is usually not more than a dozen or so people using the pool at this time, the ratios should work out that you could have one elevated lifeguard in the deep section and one lifeguard on foot in the shallow section. When the pool is very crowded, as it is generally from 1pm on, this is probably not feasible without substantially increasing the operating costs, but I don't think it's too much to ask during times when the pool is not crowded, which is generally when those of us who swim laps come to the pool. Otherwise, if your expectations are not unreasonable for this free pool, you'll have a good time. It's a great way to cool off on a hot day, a decent reading spot when it's not too loud, and has the potential to be an excellent lap pool for casual or competitive swimmers of all ages. read more

It's refreshing, free, near the T and not too crowded. What's not to love? This pool is managed by the city and is a great place to go on a hot day. There are large locker rooms where you can change or use the restroom. They weren't the cleanest, but it's free!! There was a mixed crowd of a lot of high schoolers (college-age??) and a few families. Overall people were friendly and respectful. read more

Reilly Pool *is* open in summer 2020 despite COVID-19 (for now, anyway). This is great, as my kids and I do enjoy swimming there. Surprisingly, I could not find any up-to-date info online, but if you call their phone line they say that due to COVID-19 there are 3 separate swimming sessions each day: 11:15am-1:15pm, 1:45-3:45pm, and 4:15-6:45pm. Presumably they clean between these sessions. Not sure if change rooms are open, but I will go prepared for them to NOT be open.... We'll also wear masks and stay 6ft from others when on pool-deck. read more

Awesome pool in the middle of the Cleveland circle. Clean restrooms and no entrance fee!

This community pool located by the Chestnut Hill Reservoir is honestly the best public pool I have ever been to. You need to look at this for what it is, a free pool surrounded by concrete in the middle of the city. I came here last week and was very impressed my entire time there. It was a Saturday afternoon in the summer and it was around 85 degrees in the middle of the afternoon, yet the pool was not crowded at all. My boyfriend and I were able to snag a spot real easily to put down our stuff and did not feel like our neighbors were on top of us. The pool itself is very clean and they closed it while we were there to do water checks to make sure it was safe to swim in. There was 4 lifeguards on duty and they were doing a great job. For the most part they mind their own business so if you have an adult beverage in a concealed cup I don't think they will take notice. Yes there are a few kids running around and awkward 13 year olds hanging out with their friends trying to seem cool and pushing each other into the water (the lifeguards take notice and get them to stop though!).. but I will happily take that for a free, clean place to swim and hang out while reading a book in the middle of the city when I don't have a Cape house to escape to like half the city. Honestly, I hope this place reminds as low key as it is now so I can keep going back and having peaceful afternoons there. read more

Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool - Kevin at the pool on a Saturday afternoon. - Swimming Pools Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

This is a fabulous pool!!!! It's close to home, it's super clean, and my kids love it!

Such a clean lovely space for a public pool! Can't complain for somewhere that's free and easily accessible by B C and D lines! Tip- bring a yoga mat or a chair so that you don't have to lie on the concrete! read more

Finally got desperate enough to check out the pool in Cleveland circle. It always looks too crowded and too much but I got there around 1pm during a heat wave and found a decent spot to myself to sit down with my towel. The pool temp was pretty cold but it was so refreshing. For a public pool, it was well maintenance and clean. The only thing I did not like was all the little kids running around I do wish they had age restrictions and kept this pool for adults only! Overall, it was a positive experience and that definitely won't be my last dip in here! read more

Look, this is a free public pool, so if you're expecting something pristine and wonderful, don't go here. But if you're just looking to swim, it's fine. It's clean enough (what outdoor pool doesn't have a few dead bugs floating in it?), there are ample lifeguards on duty, and the pool wasn't too crowded. There's a decent amount of space for towels and chairs, and it's definitely a good retreat on a summer day when you want to be in the water but the beach is too far away. read more

Great place to cool off in the city between July and August! It's a city pool so don't expect too much, but highly enjoyable if you don't mind a few crowds, bring your own beach chair or yoga mat to cushion the concrete a bit and a nice book to read and relax with. The water is always nice and cold on a hot day in Brighton, and entrance is completely free! I wouldn't recommend lap swimming in here unless it's earlier in the day and not crowded since there is no designated lap area. read more

I've been meaning to check this pool out for years, and finally in the dog days of August made my way over there. It was better than expected - very clean, open and not overly crowded. The water was a little cool, clear and didn't actually have many people swimming in it. There was far more people sprawled out on the concrete around the pool on towels - will definitely bring a beach chair next time! There are changing rooms but I didn't see any lockers, so only bring what you feel comfortable leaving by the pool. read more

I went on a hot Wednesday afternoon... I am a fan because it is open, very easily accessible via public transportation, and free. It is true that it isn't super fancy...but there were three lifeguards, the water was clear, and it wasn't so crowded that I didn't have my own space...cheers! I wish the lifeguards didn't let kids run at all, but... I guess you have to let kids be kids a little. And it would have been annoying to have the lifeguards yelling about things all the time...watch your own kids here, but more to keep them from annoying people than drowning. read more

My Friend and I were swimming and we found a dead animal in the deep end! Thy got it out right away though.