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NYC will revamp dozens of public pools in the city over 5 years, mayor says
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jun 18, 2024
Modified Jun 18, 2024
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Courtesy NYC Education Department
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jun 18, 2024
Modified Jun 18, 2024
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New Yorkers can expect to see dozens of local public pools get a major facelift over the next five years.
The city announced it is investing $1 billion into 39 pools across the five boroughs. In a Tuesday press release, Mayor Eric Adams referenced this week’s citywide heat wave.
“New York City’s pools and beaches are incredible places for New Yorkers to come together, learn to swim, and beat the heat — and as climate change makes heat waves like this week’s more common and more severe, the need for pools has never been greater,” he said.
Officials said the city will use this new funding to build two indoor pools and fully renovate three more. Two new swimming pools were also unveiled at the Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx on Tuesday.
Other pools expected to reopen this summer include Astoria Pool in Queens, the mini pool at Edenwald Playground in the Bronx, the John Jay and Sheltering Arms Pool in Manhattan, the West Bright Pool on Staten Island, and the Betsy Head Pool in Brooklyn.
“We’ve always said our public spaces must provide an oasis,” said New York City Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. “With this massive investment in the city's pools we're taking that mandate quite literally, with miles of infrastructure devoted to keeping New Yorkers safe and refreshed.”
The announced overhaul of the city’s public pools is the largest investment made in swimming infrastructure since the 1970’s, according to the mayor’s office. However, it also comes amid criticism from other local lawmakers and environmental advocates, who have said the Adams’ administration is failing to properly invest in the city’s public outdoor spaces.
Last month, these groups railed on Adams’ proposed $55 million cut to the city’s public parks system – which they said would jeopardize the upkeep of the city’s parks, waterfronts and beaches this summer. Others said they were frustrated by news that some of the city’s beaches could limit access throughout the summer as the city grapples with a nationwide lifeguard shortage.
In an emailed statement, City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan called for extended pool and beach hours heading into the week's heat wave and beyond.
“In the longer term, we need to build more public pools. For a city as large as ours, we have shockingly few. My own district – covering the dense immigrant communities of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Woodside – has zero," said Krishnan, who is chair of the Council's committee on parks and recreation. "This deprives our families of not just the cooling benefits, but also the life-saving water safety education provided at public pools."
Krishnan sponsored legislation that would extend the city's operating season to start in mid-May and run through mid-October. It would also extend hours to run from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
"The Mayor’s announcement is a step in the right direction toward resolving this drowning crisis. But we need to match public pools with public aquatics programs," Krishnan added. "Children need to learn how to swim, families need access to water, and we all need trained lifeguards to keep us safe."
This story has been updated to include comment from City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan.
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Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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