Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura today joined local families to jump into the Thomas Jefferson Pool in East Harlem and celebrate the opening of the 2026 outdoor pool season. This summer also marks the 90th anniversary of the City's 11 Olympic-sized public pools built through the Works Progress Administration (WPA), with expanded swim programming bringing even more New Yorkers into the water.
"There's a reason outdoor pool opening day is marked with fanfare every year: our public pools are beloved places to cool off on hot days, make memories with friends and learn the lifelong skill of swimming," said Mayor Mamdani. "Ninety years ago, our City opened 11 massive Olympic-sized outdoor public pools to provide safe recreation for working New Yorkers. That legacy reminds us what government can achieve when it invests in great public works projects. I'm proud to be one of the more than a million New Yorkers who will enjoy our pools this summer and hope our neighbors are ready to pack their swimsuits and jump in!"
"It's time for families to put on their swimsuits, dig up their goggles and pack their towels for a day at the pool, because summer is here in New York City!" said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. "There's no better way to cool off in the sun than to take a dip in one of our many outdoor pools that are now open for New Yorkers to enjoy. Thank you to the Parks workers and lifeguards who make our parks and pools possible every day."
"Our outdoor pools are synonymous with summer in New York City. They're where children first learn to swim, and where New Yorkers can go to beat the heat, stay fit and connect with each other, all for free," said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. "We're thrilled to kick off another season at our outdoor pools and to provide even more New Yorkers with essential water safety skills and fitness opportunities thanks to expanded programming. We're also celebrating the 90th anniversary of our WPA-era pools, shining examples of how incredible public works can serve New Yorkers, generation after generation."
This summer, NYC Parks is expanding its popular adult lap swim program from five to 10 pools - two in each borough. Lap swim will be available Monday through Friday from 7 to 8:30 a.m., giving fitness-minded New Yorkers dedicated time in the water before the pools open for general swimming. Participating pools include Claremont and Van Cortlandt in the Bronx; Kosciuszko and McCarren in Brooklyn; Gottesman and Hamilton Fish in Manhattan; Astoria and Liberty in Queens; and Faber and Lyons on Staten Island.
Senior Splash also returns this summer to five outdoor pools, one in each borough, offering free water aerobics classes for New Yorkers 62 and older. Classes will be held three days a week at Astoria, Lyons, Sunset Park, Thomas Jefferson and Van Cortlandt pools.
Earlier this month, Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Shimamura announced the expansion of free summer Learn to Swim classes from 10 to 18 outdoor pools, creating more than 16,000 class slots. The program provides free swim lessons for children ages 18 months to 17 years, saving families hundreds of dollars while helping young New Yorkers build lifelong water safety skills. Registration is open now.
