Smells like summer! Although there is still almost a month left until the calendar officially marks the arrival of the hot season, starting this Saturday, May 25, and as a preamble to the commemoration on Memorial Day, known in English as “Memorial Day” , the Big Apple is already in “summer” mode. The opening of the beaches, including emblematic sites of the city, such as Coney Island, Rockaway and Orchard Beach, will begin to attract thousands of bathers, so the call from the authorities is to stay safe in and out of the water.
The message, in addition to keeping your eyes wide open to take care of children and older adults who come to take a dip, is that you only swim when the lifeguards are on duty: every day from 10 am to 6 pm, and Do not ignore the signs posted in closed sections of the sea with red flags, as swimming in those areas is dangerous and strictly prohibited at any other time.
This was stated this Friday by the New York City Parks Commissioner, Sue Donoghue, who after making the official announcement of the opening of the beaches, incidentally called on New Yorkers to take advantage of the high temperatures that are to come. to relax and have family moments near the water.
“Our free public beaches are an essential part of summer for New Yorkers. “They are great places to cool off, relax and enjoy time with family and friends, and we are committed to ensuring that all of our beaches are clean, safe and attractive destinations,” said Administration official Adams. “There is so much to see and do on our beaches, from a new nature preserve in Rockaway to the iconic attractions of Coney Island, and we are thrilled to welcome back New Yorkers and visitors for another season of summer fun!
The City proudly highlighted that this year, Travel + Leisure magazine’s list included Rockaway Beach and Coney Island Beach among the 25 best beaches in the United States, places to escape the hustle and bustle of the city without having to go very far. far.
Other New York beaches that are part of the 14 miles of ocean include Manhattan Beach and Centra Beach, South Beach, Cedar Grove Beach and Wolfe’s Pond Beach on Staten Island. The 91 public pools in the five boroughs, 12 of them outdoors, will be added to the list of options for summer fun, starting next June 27.
In addition to the basic recommendations to stay safe outside and in the water, and abide by the rules to avoid scares or bad times, municipal authorities also warn bathers about behaviors that are not permitted in beach areas. Some are considered common sense rules, such as no littering, no smoking, no alcoholic beverages, no loud audio systems, and no open fire barbecues except in designated areas.
Other rules, according to the City Parks Department, which manages New York beaches, that should not be disregarded in order to have a good time and make other people enjoy it too, are among others the non-use of jet skis, kayaks, etc. or paddle boarding, fishing in swimming areas, vending, except as permitted by law or with permission, using unauthorized motor vehicles and all-terrain vehicles, bicycling or skating on the beach or boardwalk after 10 a.m.
The beach care agency especially warns that the spas are smoke-free places, so smoking and vaping are prohibited, so those who violate the law could face fines of up to $50.
“If someone refuses to quit smoking in a park, beach or other area where smoking is prohibited, New Yorkers are encouraged to notify a Parks Department employee or a parks enforcement officer, if one is available. Otherwise, claims can be filed by calling 311,” stated the Parks Department. However, anyone who receives a ticket for violating beach park rules has the right to challenge the penalty in court.
Another important detail to note is that during beach season, dogs are not allowed on public beaches unless they are identified as service animals.
“From May 1 to October 1, dogs are not allowed in any bathing facilities, including New York City beaches.
Beaches and pools will be open in the Big Apple until Sunday, September 8, after the week of the Labor Day holiday.
And given the fear that was in the air about the possible lack of lifeguards present on the beaches, before giving the initial whistle for the spas to open, the mayor, Eric Adams, gave a statement of tranquility and assured that modifications in the requirements for lifeguards assigned to shallow water pools will allow more lifeguards to potentially begin work this year and be hired in the future. This, after an arbitration panel issued the decision, paving the way for the City to hire more lifeguards, allow for greater swimming capacity at beaches and pools during the coming summers and improve operations of the city’s lifeguard program. city.
“Our beaches and pools are some of the jewels of New York City: they are fantastic places for our children and families to cool off, learn to swim and enjoy the summer, and the big win for public safety at our pools and beaches “It means that we can potentially hire more lifeguards for this summer and have even more in the pipeline for summers to come,” the president said. “All of our lifeguards will continue to be trained in CPR, first aid, and rescue skills, and we will be able to have our strongest swimmers concentrated on our beaches, where conditions are toughest. “We want all New Yorkers to have a great summer of surf and sand.”
New Yorkers are already welcoming the heat. Photo: Edwin Martinez
The vice mayor, Meera Joshi, expressed the same sentiment and stated that with the new decision, there will be more lifeguards to guarantee the safety of bathers in pools and beaches.
“We have been working toward these changes to lifeguard qualifications since the beginning of the administration; “It has not always been easy, but it is important to support fun in the sun and keep New Yorkers safe on our beaches,” the official commented. “With this decision, it will be easier to hire more lifeguards for our beaches and pools, while maintaining our high safety standards. A true mutual benefit.”
Data to take into account
- Beaches open in New York on May 25
- Next September 8th the beaches will close
- Public outdoor pools will open on June 27
- 10 am to 6 pm is the time when lifeguards are on duty on the beaches.
- Do not ignore the signs posted on closed stretches of beach with red flags, it is dangerous and prohibited
- If you want to stay more informed about beach water quality testing conducted by the Department of Health, or if there are any special advisories or closures, before heading to the beach you can visit
- visit nyc.gov/health/beach, or call 311
- Beachgoers can also sign up for the “Know Before You Go” message service, free texts in English and Spanish that inform them about the status of public beaches that are open or closed due to water quality issues.
- You can text “BEACH” to 55676 for information on the status of any of the city’s public beaches.
- You can call 911 for information on any of the 91 public pools in NYC that you can use at the end of June
- Avoid fines for prohibited acts on beaches such as drinking liquor