Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
City Council Says NYC Beaches Should Open For Swimming
By
Sydney Pereira
Published May 24, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Braulio Jatar/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
By
Sydney Pereira
Published May 24, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The New York City Council wants city beaches to open up for swimming, according to a set of recommendations announced Saturday.
"Access to city beaches isn't just a summer fun issue. It is an equity issue and a public health issue," City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said in a statement about the recommendations, which he issued with City Councilmembers Peter Koo, Donovan Richards, Steven Matteo, Joe Borelli, Chaim Deutsch, Mark Gjonaj, Mark Treyger, and Eric Ulrich—who represent neighborhoods with city beaches.
Currently, NYC beaches are closed for swimming—meaning no lifeguards on duty—though local residents are permitted to walk or sit on the beaches, including Rockaway Beach, Brighton Beach, Coney Island, Orchard Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Cedar Grove on Staten Island. The National Park Service beaches at Jacob Riis and Fort Tilden are open for passive recreation but are following city guidelines of barring swimming as well. A 24-year-old drowned at Rockaway Beach ahead of Memorial Day Weekend on Friday afternoon.
Elsewhere, Governor Andrew Cuomo has opened state beaches with capacity capped at 50 percent. Long Island beaches opened this week, but local officials have barred NYC residents from coming to some of them.
"After months of difficult confinement and having shown they can do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19, New Yorkers absolutely need and deserve and opportunity to safely access city beaches this summer," Minority Leader Matteo said in a statement. "This can be accomplished with the proper rules and safeguards in place and with social distancing guidelines."
"Our neighboring states and counties are planning to make this happen for their residents—we can, and we should do the same for ours," Matteo added.
Koo, who represents parts of Queens, said in a statement: "Disallowing swimming at beaches puts New Yorkers at risk. If the City is going to open our beaches, and parks, we need to do so in a comprehensive manner with the necessary resources they need to operate safely."
Under the City Council's recommendations, beaches should open for swimming and lifeguards provided personal protective equipment, like masks. The Health Department should determine how often they should be tested for COVID-19.
The council recommended using ropes and flags to mark off locations on the beach to allow for where people can sit, separated from each other, or to block off areas for walking. Beaches would have walking lanes and entry points could be designated for entering or exiting the beach.
Getting to the beach poses a particular problem for opening the beaches; during a typical summer, New Yorkers pack the trains to get to the beaches. The City Council said new bus lanes, more bike racks, and pop-up protected bike lanes or "bike-only streets" on routes to the beach could help increase social distancing.
Restaurants near the beaches should remain open as well, the councilmembers said. Bathrooms should be open and cleaned frequently with soap and hand sanitizer. Masks should be required whenever walking on the beach or boardwalks, except for walking to the water. Enforcement of all the policies should be done by health ambassadors—not cops, they said. Signage to educate New Yorkers should also be placed on beaches.
A Council spokesperson said the City Council wants the city to use the recommendations in a plan to fully open the beaches—including for swimming—"as soon as possible."
"This is an important and timely issue that relates to health and equity," the Council spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio, Jane Meyer, said much of the council's recommendations are already in effect, but the administration is reviewing the other ones.
"We are reviewing the Council’s recommendations, and are already implementing many of them including deploying social distancing ambassadors with masks, allowing food vendors to open by the beaches, and keeping bathrooms open and stocked with soap," Meyer said.
The Times reported Friday that the lifeguards' union says beaches could fully reopen in June, though City Hall says there's no date or specific timeline.
"To keep New Yorkers healthy and safe, we are not allowing swimming at our beaches and are monitoring closely for overcrowding," Meyer said. "We are hopeful we will be able to open this summer though, and are training lifeguards for when that day comes."
De Blasio has warned beaches would be fenced off if people don't follow social distancing rules.
"We don't want to fence off the beaches but we will if we have to," he wrote in a tweet on Friday.
Tagged
beaches
nyc
COVID-19
coronavirus
Sydney Pereira
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Hochul names NY AG James as special prosecutor on alleged rape case at Cornell University
The governor said she does not have faith that the police and the Tompkins County DA effectively investigated the case.
By
Jon Campbell
Published Oct 1, 2026 at 9:04 p.m. ET
Founder of NYC LGBTQ therapy practice charged with rape after alleged sexual assaults
Joseph LoGiudice is the second therapist at Liberation Psychotherapy to be accused of sexually abusing a patient.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Founder of NYC LGBTQ therapy practice charged with rape after alleged sexual assaults
Joseph LoGiudice is the second therapist at Liberation Psychotherapy to be accused of sexually abusing a patient.
By
Giulia Heyward
US judge in NY indefinitely blocks ICE from making arrests at immigration courthouses
By
Arya Sundaram
Lawyer challenging NYC rent freeze releases Mamdani officials’ emails and text messages
By
David Brand
Push to strengthen NY sexual assault laws gathers steam after Cornell rape allegations
By
Walter Wuthmann
and
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .