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NYC Outdoor Public Pools Will Re-Open This Saturday

June 24, 2021 by Kevin McKeever

wagner pool manhattan NYC outdoor public pool
Wagner Pool in Manhattan is a ‘Cool Pool’ and one of many NYC outdoor public pools opening on Saturday. (Photo: NYCParks.gov)

Summer 2021 is finally here and NYC outdoor public pools in all five boroughs will reopen Saturday, June 26, for all to enjoy. However, there are some rule changes (grrr – dang, COVID-19!) to know before enjoying these free treasures.

All pool goers will be required to wear a face mask at certain times, according to the NYC Parks pool page (you’ll find the locations of all the pools there). These are when:

  • Entering the pool facility
  • In locker rooms or bathrooms
  • When on the pool deck

Masks are not to be worn in the water, thankfully.

And that’s it. Although the city’s indoor pools remain closed and many aquatic classes have been cancelled because of the pandemic, much of rest is the same as in recent years when it comes to swim fun in New York City’s boroughs.

NYC outdoor public pools, which are free, will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for open swims, with a break for pool cleaning between 3 and 4 p.m. Early morning and late night adult lap swim hours are also available at some locations. The city may still host free “learn to swim” programs but many other aquatic programs are definitely off.

Rules for outdoor water fun – sunscreen included

The big things to know, mask requirements aside, are:

  • You must have on a swimsuit to enter the pool area.
  • Men’s swimsuits must have a lining, and yes — you might be ask to prove it.
  • If you need a shirt or hat to protect you from the sun, they must be plain WHITE. No shirts with colors on them on the deck.
  • Swim diapers required for babies and the yet-to-be potty trained.
  • Most places have stroller parking but getting a space is not guaranteed.
  • No floaties or water toys.
  • No food, glass bottles, electronic devices, and newspapers, either!
  • If you plan to use a locker, bring a sturdy lock. No luggage locks.

Free, broad-spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen will be available in dispensers at all the city’s outdoor pools, thanks to the American Academy of Dermatology’s SPOT Skin Cancer.

NYC public outdoor pools are open through Sept. 12, 2021.

Check out the NYC ‘Cool Pools’

The Cool Pools initiative has upgraded 16 NYC public outdoor pools in recent years that hadn’t had major renovations since being built in the 1970s. These spruced up facilities have:

  • fun summer-themed wall art
  • lounge chairs for sunbathing and relaxing poolside,
  • cabana-style shade structures to help keep you cool, 
  • plantings to make our pools greener, and
  • fun and free poolside activities, including games, sports, arts and crafts, and fitness classes

You’ll find Cool Pools in each borough, but new for this year are the Van Cortlandt Pool in The Bronx and Bushwick Pool and Howard Pool in Brooklyn.

You might also enjoy:

Filed Under: NYC, play Tagged With: summer, swimming

About Kevin McKeever

City Dads Group Editor Kevin McKeever runs Write On, Kevin Communications when not being an at-home dad to three: boy, girl and canine. He wrote a two-time nationally award-winning newspaper column, blogs at Always Home and Uncool and tweets as @homeanduncool. His work has been featured in USA Today, Canada’s Globe and Mail, the New York Daily News and landfills worldwide.

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