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NYC pools open for the summer, 90 years after Robert Moses expanded access to swimming
By
Liam Quigley
Published Jun 27, 2026
Modified Jun 27, 2026
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Caroline Rubinstein-Willis/Mayoral Photography Office
By
Liam Quigley
Published Jun 27, 2026
Modified Jun 27, 2026
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New York City’s outdoor public pools open for the season on Saturday — and officials say this summer is one worth celebrating
The parks department is honoring the 90th anniversary of the summer of 1936, when then-Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and city Parks Commissioner Robert Moses opened 11 large pools across the five boroughs. They served as a place to cool off during the Great Depression — and were part of a wave of New York City public works projects funded by the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration.
Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura plans to kick off the swimming season at the Thomas Jefferson Pool in East Harlem, which was built under Moses’ direction. The department expects to have more lifeguards on the payroll than any summer since the COVID-19 pandemic, which sparked an annual staffing shortage at the city’s pools and beaches.
"So while we're still maybe not at the peak ever in the history of lifeguards, we are certainly in a better position than we were even last year," Shimamura said on WNYC last week. “And last year we saw a huge improvement [in staffing] from the year before that. So we're definitely trending in the right direction.”
There are 50 pools opening the city — though city officials say the opening of the 51st, the Red Hook Pool, is delayed due to an as-yet undetermined date due to equipment damage. Officials expected to give an update on their timetable for repairs in the coming days.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani — who has frequently said he’s inspired by La Guardia's time in office — earlier this year said he might jump in the water during the city’s annual pool opening ceremony.
He made good on that promise Saturday morning, reviving a mayoral tradition honored by former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, but abandoned by Mayors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams.
"We're so excited to be celebrating 90 years of public swimming in our city," he said after his inaugural dip. "This is a moment that New Yorkers are celebrating across the five boroughs."
Poolgoers are forbidden from bringing glass bottles, foods, electronics and newspapers onto the pool deck. Men’s bathing suits may be inspected to ensure they have mesh linings, and all bathers must rinse off in showers before jumping in the pool. Visitors are required to bring locks to secure their personal items.
The pools are open daily through Sept. 13 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a scheduled break for cleaning between 3 and 4 p.m.
This story has been updated with comment from Mayor Mamdani.
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parks
Liam Quigley
Liam Quigley is a reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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