NEW YORK – New York City’s beaches and public pools will open on time this year, Mayor de Blasio announced Wednesday, almost a year after their re-openings were delayed during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
The city’s eight public beaches are now set to open for Memorial Day weekend, which begins on May 29, and public pools are scheduled to open right after the end of school on June 26.
“Summer is right around the corner, and we’re gearing up for an on-time pool and beach season,” de Blasio said Wednesday. “These beautiful outdoor spaces mean so much to New Yorkers, especially after the year we’ve all had.”
Last summer, the city delayed opening beaches until July 1 over concerns that it would accelerate the spread of COVID. Pools began opening their doors later that month on July 24.
Hizzoner’s announcement Wednesday comes as the city has so far distributed more than 4.6 million doses of COVID vaccines.
De Blasio said the city will continue to “follow health guidance” from the state when it comes to beach and pool re-openings “to ensure the safety of everyone,” but suggested that mask wearing protocols could change as more vaccines are administered.
“Things are evolving,” he said. “I won’t be surprised if over the course of the summer there’s ways of doing things differently, and you know, giving people a little more freedom.”
The mayor also suggested he’s open to bringing back a city program that permitted dumspter bins to be used as pools on streets closed off to traffic as part of the city’s Open Streets program.
“You’re going to have a lot going on, but it’s a big city so if we can get the most out of Open Streets, we want to, so we’re certainly going to look at that option and see if that’s something we can do as well,” he said. “I want folks to really be able to enjoy the outdoors in New York City this summer.”
