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NYC Beaches Officially Open For Swimming Today, 15 Public Pools To Open Soon
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jul 1, 2020
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Kathy Willens/AP/Shutterstock
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jul 1, 2020
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NYC might not be ready for the return of indoor dining just yet, but New Yorkers will have more opportunities to spend time outdoors in the immediate future. Just in time for the July 4th weekend, the city has now officially reopened our beaches for swimming, floating, sunbathing, lingering and everything in-between.
"We are ready for a great holiday weekend, lifeguards are ready to go, New Yorkers can stay cool," Mayor Bill de Blasio said during his Wednesday morning press conference. "This is something people have been waiting patiently for—maybe not always patiently for—but it's here. And that's gonna help a lot."
De Blasio's aside about patience was a reference to how he was criticized for first closing the beaches to the public, then criticized some more for opening them around Memorial Day Weekend but only allowing walking or passive recreation, leading to lots of confusion and frustration.
People will still be expected to socially distance from fellow beach-goers and wear face coverings when they're not in the water. Lifeguards, who have been training since May, will be on duty at the beaches that allow swimming.
In addition, the mayor also announced that 15 public outdoor swimming pools will reopen over the next few weeks. This could be you and your friends!!!
De Blasio stressed that they chose pools that "would have maximum benefit for the communities hit hardest, the largest pools we could open, the ones for folks farthest from the beaches. We had to make some choices, but I think these 15 pools are going to make a big, big difference for people in communities all over NYC."
He added that as with beaches, there will still be social distancing, and people will need to wear face coverings when they're not in the pools. "There are restrictions, it's going to be different," he said. "There's going to be spacing when people are waiting in line to go in. There's going to be a lot of things to make sure we hold onto the progress we've made on health care, but it'll all be worth it, and it'll help our kids have a better summer."
Of the fifteen pools, three will be reopened on July 24th, and the rest on August 1st. Check out the photo below for all the locations.
NYC Mayor's Office
There's no doubt that this is all news that New Yorkers have been eagerly awaiting all summer. Now let's just hope that it doesn't turn into a Myrtle Beach situation.
Tagged
public pools
COVID-19
coronavirus
mayor bill de blasio
pools
beaches
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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