New York city outdoor pools are open for the season. On Saturday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, fully dressed in a suit with a coat and tie, jumped into the Thomas Jefferson Pool in East Harlem with kids to celebrate the big day.
But one child — while enjoying the water — described it as “freezing cold.”
Another child in the pool, said “I feel amazing! I’ve been waiting since winter.”
The day after the last day of public school, and with extreme heat headed our way next week, it was perfect timing.
New York City public pools across all five boroughs are now open through September 13th. This year, the city is celebrating 90 years of public swimming.
“The best way to cool down, the best way to get out of your apartment, is to be at the pool, at the beach,” city Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura told NBC New York. She came to East Harlem to dive into pool season.
So did kids who are part of the “Learn to Swim” program, which is being offered at more pools this summer.
“You can access free aquatics courses at 18 different pools during summertime for free,” said Shimamura. “We’re also expanding lap swim from 5 to 10 pools.”
Mila Madera and her siblings from The Bronx are part of the “Learn to Swim” program.
“Whenever I’m swimming, I feel like my mind is blank,” she said. “Everything’s calm. I don’t have to stress about nothing.”
“For me, because I don’t know how to swim, so I’m very like ‘they need to learn,’ added Bronx mom Mirella Bermeo. “We’ll be in the pool a lot, a lot this summer.”
This year, there will be plenty of eyes on pools and beaches. Lifeguards are on duty, after New York City and other parts of the country faced a lifeguard shortage in recent years.
“Right now, as we speak, about 150 lifeguards more than where we were this time last year, just around 870 and we won’t hit our peak until the 4th of July,” said Shimamura.
Even with some on and off rain Saturday, it was hard to beat day one at the pool.
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