Free swimming turned into a free-for-all: Why Rochester pools shut down in the middle of a heat wave Overwhelming numbers amid hot weather and free access helped fuel safety concerns during open-swim times, so city officials are working on a plan to address issues. 5:09 pm, Jun. 9, 2021 × A Rochester swim club conducts practice in the Soldier's Field pool Wednesday morning, June 9, 2021. (Ken Klotzbach / kklotzbach@postbulletin.com) People jumping the Soldiers Field pool fence, fighting with fellow patrons and lifeguards, and ignoring the rules led to the shutdown of Rochester’s two public pools Wednesday. “It’s possible it might be a couple days, and it’s possible it might be a little longer,” Ben Boldt, recreation supervisor for Rochester's Parks and Recreation department, said of the closing. “It just kind of depends on how quickly we can rally the groups and get a plan developed that everyone can be comfortable with.”