Oh how we love beach and pool season in NYC, but our one complaint: the season never feels long enough. Currently, NYC beaches are open Memorial Day through Labor Day while outdoor pools are open June through September, but this year NYC beach and pool season may be extended!
Democratic City Councilman Shekar Krishnan recently introduced a bill that would keep NYC beaches and pools open through the second Sunday in October–two months longer than usual!
Beyond extending the season by two months, operating hours would also be extended.
Current NYC beach operating hours are 10 am to 6 pm while pools are open 11 am to 7 pm with a brief hour close (3 – 4 pm) for cleaning. But under the new bill operating hours would be 8 am to 8 pm.
The summary of the bill reads:
This bill would extend the length of the beach and outdoor pool season for those beaches and pools under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation to begin on the second Saturday in May and end on the second Sunday of each October, instead of on the Sunday following Labor Day. The operating hours of such beaches and outdoor pools would be extended from the current 10:00AM to 6:00PM to 8:00AM to 8:00PM. Pools located at indoor facilities would be required to be open each day at a minimum from 7:00AM to 9:00PM.
Krishan proposed the bill as part of a larger plan to keep New Yorkers cool, and is also calling for the city to build more pools and offer more free swim lessons.
The head of the NYC Parks Department opposes this bill, however, stating “it would be a huge drain on the city’s budget,” according to the New York Post.
The NY Post writes that NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue stated:
We are very proud of our extensive lifeguard recruitment efforts. But the stark reality is that we still face a very challenging environment for hiring, which means that the expansion of the beach and pool season and operating hours proposed by the legislation is unlikely to be feasible any time in the foreseeable near future.
So while we probably shouldn’t bank on the season being extended, it’s cool to know it’s a possibility! See what we did there?!