The bad economy has resulted in a surfeit of dumpsters, which can come in handy on a hot summer day as “dumpster pools.”

In a story in today’s New York Times, the idea is attributed to Curtis Crowe, a member of Athens, Ga., band Pylon. The semi-secret pools have now caught on in New York City’s industrial areas, creating what are described as “lo-fi urban country clubs.” Read all about it here.

In an industrial section of Brooklyn along the Gowanus Canal, real-estate development company Macro-Sea has created just such an urban oasis to make use of underused space and materials in a clever attempt at urban renewal.

The dumpsters are lined with plastic, surrounded by decking, portable cabanas and fencing and filled with 18,000 gallons of fresh water from a New York aquifer.

“It’s a very simple concept,” says a project manager for Macro-Sea. “There aren’t that many places to swim in New York.”

The New York Times says the trend will likely continue until the hot weather ends — or the coolness factor fizzles.

Has anyone built a dumpster pool in Seattle? I’ll bring the beer.