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Fltered swimming pool -- designed in the shape of a plus sign -- has been tested in the water off Pier 40 in Hudson River Park.

Borough President James Oddo is one of the most down-to-earth elected officials you could ever meet; unlike some, he's not one of those politicians who is prone to making over-the-top statements about his initiatives just because he initiated them. And he's realistic — often skeptical — about the prospects for success of any enterprise, no matter how well-intended. High hopes and slick presentations don't cut it for him.



So when Mr. Oddo expressed support last week for the idea of a floating public pool moored on the emerging North Shore, we took notice.



His enthusiasm has been stoked by the hope of bringing +POOL here as another attraction on what promises to be Staten Island's version of the Gold Coast.



Shaped like a plus sign



What is it? It's a unique pool, built in the shape of a plus sign, that sits on a huge, barge-like vessel that can be based along the shoreline. It comprises a children's pool, a sports area, a lap pool, all with filtered water from almost any surrounding body of water. The filtration system removes bacteria and contaminants to produce clean, "swimmible" water and there are no chemicals involved in the process.



"I think this is fabulous technology and it should be a New York thing. If it becomes a Staten Island thing, it will be another positive for us and another amenity ... And it's another chance to tap into all the benefits that come from bringing tourists and tourists' dollars into our community," Mr. Oddo said.



The +POOL's creators formed a not-for-profit group and pioneered the concept four years ago in a trial off Pier 40 in the Hudson River. The initiative has been funded in part by Kickstarter, which bills itself as "the world's largest funding platform for creative projects."



Now the founders and other supporters are seeking $21 million to build the +POOL somewhere in New York City waters where it would be best utilized.



One of the locations being considered is on the North Shore, where the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets will soon be up and running.



Reconnect with the water



He added, "There once was a time when Staten Island was a destination during the summer, with the rides in South Beach and all the beachfront bungalows. Somewhere along the line, we lost our connection to the water. This pool would be a way of returning us to that."



We couldn't agree more. But we have to admit that it's more than a little troubling to note that Staten Island was a late addition to the group's short list of candidate sites.



"We are exploring a handful of different sites. Some of the sites we have had a good relationship with for the life of the project ... Staten Island is a new site that we hadn't visited before," said Dong-Ping Wong, one of the founders of the +POOL.



He added, "But we learned a lot about what's going on out there. Staten Island wasn't on our radar before, but now it is. What's happening along [Staten Island's] waterfront is quite exciting."



Neglected waterfront



Echoing a refrain that's been heard around here for years, Mr. Wong said, "This project is about reclaiming the waterfront that New York has neglected for so long."



That goes triple for Staten Island's waterfront.



All this is certainly good news now, but the fact that Mr. Wong and his associates had to discover Staten Island and be made aware of its potential points to a longstanding problem faced by the borough president and anyone else who wants the best for this borough: People — including people with big-time projects in mind — have heard of Staten Island, but they don't think of it as a venue for their endeavors.



It's just not on their radar, as Mr. Wong put it.



That's begun to change, a little, obviously, with the Wheel and Empire Outlets joining the Richmond County Bank Ballpark and (eventually) the National Lighthouse Museum in the truly dazzling array of St. George waterfront attractions.



But it's an example of what Staten Island officials and leaders are up against when they're pitching the benefits of locating in a borough perennially overshadowed by the world-famous attractions of the boroughs across the bay.



Go for it, Mr. Borough President.