The city is implementing different measures to help New Yorkers stay safe and cool, and this handy dandy NYC Parks map helps show exactly where those different spots are all over New York!
The map marks all the ways to beat the heat: where there are spray showers, drinking fountains, areas with the most tree covers and shade, and even the leafiest blocks.
The information is also available in a downloadable spreadsheet with more specific location details.
The Park normally turns on the spray showers, which are usually at playgrounds, when temps are 80 degrees or higher (so this week definitely fits)! And last summer they added tons of new cooling features, so there are more ways to get cool than ever.
Misters can usually be found in parks or other seating areas, so you can sit down and let the cooling waters gently spray you. There are also some fire hydrants that can be opened legally during heat emergencies (outfitted with a city-approved spray cap). Certain streets that are part of the city’s “Open Streets” program as now dubbed “Cool Streets” because they have lots of shady trees plus the hydrant spray caps.
As for COVID-19 safety, the Parks department notes that although water features are not known to have a high risk for virus transmission, the areas may be more crowded during the hot weather and therefore reminds New Yorkers to follow social distancing.