Glamorous swimming pools are a bit of a trend in New York City, and to keep up the Parks Department has decided to give five of its outdoor pools a makeover.
New York City’s outdoor public pools reopen for Summer 2018 on June 27, and while you have your pick of 53 public pools across the five boroughs, only five of them are Cool Pools.
What exactly makes a pool cool? The Parks Department has renovated one pool in each of the five boroughs with a colorful new paint job, added furniture like lounge chairs and cabana-style shade structures, and brought in new plants and trees around the pool area. Coppertone and BrightGuard also contributed free sunscreen dispensers.
The program is being launched at five intermediate-sized pools, none of which has had a major renovation since they were built in the 1970s:
Douglas and DeGraw Pool in Gowanus, Brooklyn
Fisher Pool in East Elmhurst, Queens
Mapes Pool in East Tremont, Bronx
Sheltering Arms Pool in Harlem, Manhattan
West Brighton Pool on Staten Island
“With the first heat wave of the summer on our horizon, the grand opening of the newly renovated Fisher Pool couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Council Member Francisco Moya at the uneviling of East Elmhurst’s Fisher Pool. “This city can be frenetic and overwhelming, so we need places like this where we can come, relax, and get a nice base tan for the start of summer!”
Cool Pools also offer Learn to Swim classes for kids Monday through Friday from 7:45-10:45 a.m., and confident swimmers can join the Tuesday/Thursday swim team from 8-8:45 a.m. Additional evening fitness courses are available at all five pools; check each pool for dates and times.
Alas, the usual NYC public pool rules apply even to cool kids: You must have a swimsuit, and no shirts with colors are allowed. Bring your own lock to store valuables. What’s not allowed at public pools: food, glass bottles, electronic devices and newspapers.
We know what you’re thinking: Are public pools safe? The city’s public pools close down for an hour each day between 3 and 4 p.m. for cleaning — we even tested the water at several locations and found them to be more or less within the recommended guidelines for safe swimming, so splash away.
New York City public pools are open every day from June 27 to Sept. 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Mini pools close on Labor Day.
