NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue joined Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Assembly Member Harvey Epstein (A.D. 74), State Sen. Brian Kavanagh (A.D. 26), Manhattan Council Member Carlina Rivera (C.D.2), along with local kids and community members on Tuesday, June 28, to celebrate the start of the outdoor pool season at Hamilton Fish Pool on the Lower East Side in Manhattan.

“It’s time to make a splash: New York City’s outdoor pools are open for the season!” said Donoghue. “Our pools are popular summer destinations for so many New Yorkers, and we’re happy to provide these free places to have fun, cool off on hot days, and get some exercise.”

After some brief remarks, Donoghue jumped into the pool along with the kids to celebrate the first splash of the summer. The season kick off celebration featured music, refreshments, games, and giveaways.

“Summer is here which means our pools and beaches are open to enjoy,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “I encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of the city’s public pools to stay cool, get some exercise, and have fun.”

As reported, public schools in the City had been closed until June 28, amid an ongoing shortage of life guards, according to NYC Parks.

Due to the national lifeguard shortage, unfortunately we will not be hosting swim programs, including lap swim, senior swim, and Learn to Swim, at our outdoor pools this summer. Outdoor pools will remain open each day for general swim from 11am-3pm and from 4pm–7pm.

— NYC Parks (@NYCParks) June 14, 2022

NYC Parks’ outdoor pools will remain open through Sunday, September 11. Daily hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Operations will be adjusted as needed, based on daily lifeguard coverage to keep swimmers safe.

NYC Parks officials said the agency has, once again, installed sunscreen dispensers to provide free SPF 30 sun protection at outdoor pools and beaches.

“Now that New York City’s public pools are open, it’s officially summer in NYC!” said Levine.

“Our public pools have served as cornerstones of inclusion and equity in our city for decades and, under the leadership of Commissioner Donoghue and the NYC Parks team, New Yorkers in every corner of this city again have a place to go to have fun, cool off, and stay healthy during the hot summer months. Jump in!”

☀️ Summer is HERE! Check out our latest newsletter w/ FREE, outdoor festivals & events across the 5 boroughs. NYC is a world capital for art, culture, media & entertainment, & summer presents countless opportunities for residents & visitors to explore!

➡️ https://t.co/OlikW846Cy pic.twitter.com/hoSct0Wf5X

— NYC Cultural Affairs (@NYCulture) June 28, 2022

Epstein agreed, saying, “The summer is a special time for families, especially when our pools get up and running. I’m thrilled that my constituents will continue to use the great Hamilton Fish pool and all of the pools in my district.”

As previously reported, NYC Parks is also providing free breakfast and lunch at sites across the City, including schools, parks, pools and food trucks for all eligible children under the age of 18 via the Free Summer Meals program in conjunction with NYC Department of Education. No ID or registration is required.

NYC Parks operates 53 outdoor pools throughout the five boroughs. Two pools will be closed this season due to active reconstruction projects: Tony Dapolito Pool and Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Pool) in Central Park.

Visit Parks’ Outdoor Pools page for more information, and check out the Cool It! NYC map for cooling features in every neighborhood – including pools, spray showers, drinking fountains, and more.

🍉 All children ages 18 and under are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch at sites across the City, including schools, @NYCparks, pools, and food trucks! No ID or registration is required to receive #FreeSummerMeals.

📍 Find a location: https://t.co/uF9kHYAd3F pic.twitter.com/vnOziKlx22

— NYC Public Schools (@NYCSchools) June 29, 2022

In 2018, NYC Parks launched the Cool Pools NYC initiative, which has upgraded 16 pools across the five boroughs with bright, new paint palettes, summer-themed wall art, lounge chairs, and more. Cool Pools have made pools more fun, relaxing, and welcoming, giving New Yorkers the chance to experience an old neighborhood amenity in a new way.

Face coverings are not required to enter pool facilities, but their use will be encouraged inside bathrooms and locker rooms.

As Bronxites and New Yorkers attempt to keep cool (both literally and metaphorically) this summer as temperatures heat up once again, the good news is that cooling sprinklers are also available in some local parks. Check out the link in the tweet further below for details on where to find them.

Stay cool, NYC! Visit our Cool It! NYC map at https://t.co/2VMpsMEXxq to find spray showers, drinking fountains, and other cooling features in your neighborhood.

Please report non-working spray showers to @nyc311 or at: https://t.co/ZfUdpXs4n0. pic.twitter.com/F1UdQ7zT8V

— NYC Parks (@NYCParks) June 30, 2022

Sprinklers are also available from FDNY for street fire hydrants to allow some water to be sprayed onto the street, a practice which is legal, as recently confirmed to Norwood News by NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). However, leaving a fire hydrant open “full throttle” is illegal, since it may result in the FDNY being unable to respond to a fire if a fire hydrant is emptied. Blocking a fire hydrant is also illegal.

“The first photo shows a ‘fully open’ fire hydrant – this is illegal,” Edward Timbers, a DEP official, said. “This should be reported to 311 immediately so a DEP crew can be dispatched to close it. The second photo shows a sprinkler cap installed on a hydrant. Sprinkler caps are legal and can be obtained free of charge at any FDNY firehouse.”

Meanwhile NYC Cultural Affairs has also shared updates on free, outdoor festivals and events taking place throughout the summer, including outdoor movies in public parks.

Last year, as reported, the summer kick-off pool season was held at Van Cortlandt Park pool in The Bronx with then Parks Commissioner Mitchel Silver in attendance for the occasion. It was a welcome relief for many kids and adults alike after months of being cooped up amid the pandemic.

Check our regular, biweekly Out & About and Neighborhood Notes features for the latest updates on local events in The Bronx. Out & About covers arts, music, culture and sports, while Neighborhood Notes covers civic, transport, educational, political and other news and updates.

For more tips on how to beat the heat, click here.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.