New York City officially kicks off outdoor pool season for summer
ASTORIA, Queens (WABC) -- New York City's outdoor pool season officially got underway on Thursday with perfect timing of schools letting out for the summer.
Mayor Eric Adams was on hand in Astoria, Queens to welcome patrons to the pool.
Astoria Pool is the city's largest pool and is reopening after an $18.9 million renovation. That renovation brought the nearly 100-year-old facility up to the latest standards and holds 1 million gallons of water.
Some of the people enjoying the pool were swimmers like Amber Lewis, who said that coming back to Astoria Pool was like reuniting with a friend.
"I haven't been here since I was a teenager, and it looks beautiful," she said. "Now that it's finally back open and I'm here seeing it as an adult, it's like wow, its nostalgia , brings back memories."
Pools in the five boroughs are a critical part of the fabric of the city. In one summer, an estimated 1.7 million people come to cool off and relax.
"This is what public safety looks like, when we have fully-funded parks and pools, when we have lifeguards, when we have a place for people of all ages to gather," said New York City Councilmember Tiffany Caban.
More than 600 lifeguards are on duty currently, and the Parks Department says they will continue to recruit and recertify lifeguards until July 4. The goal is to reach 850 citywide.
As an incentive, the city renegotiated its contract with lifeguards for the first time in 40 years. It led to an increase in pay to $22 an hour, plus a $1,000 retention bonus for returning lifeguards.
Outdoor public pools are open citywide from Thursday, June 27, until Sunday, September 8.
NYC Parks' outdoor pools are open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
NYC Parks operates 53 outdoor pools throughout the five boroughs. Fifty outdoor pools officially opened for the season, and the three others, Tompkins Square Park, the Harlem Meer and Tony Dapolito Recreation Center in Greenwich Village, remain closed due to repair work.
For more information, visit:
-Find your pool: https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/outdoor-pools
-How to become an NYC Parks lifeguard: https://www.nycgovparks.org/opportunities/jobs/lifeguards
-Swimming lessons with NYC Parks: https://www.nycgovparks.org/programs/aquatics
-Swimming lessons with BronxWorks: Aquatics - BronxWorks
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