{"id":2152,"date":"2023-04-12T19:56:54","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T19:56:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/data\/?page_id=2152"},"modified":"2023-04-27T18:07:58","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T18:07:58","slug":"pools","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/data\/pools\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Swimming Pools in NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Public pools help provide vacations and recreation for some people who do not have the ability to leave New York City during the summer months<\/a>. Public pools improve community bonds, encourage fitness for youth and families, increase public safety, and keep people cool during the summer heat<\/a>. The Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) maintains and operates<\/a> 79 outdoor swimming pools (including 17 mini-pools) and 12 indoor swimming pools dispersed across 64 facilities throughout the five boroughs. All outdoor pools are free and open to the public <\/a> from late June until the Sunday after Labor Day with general hours of operation from 11AM to 7PM. In 2018, 1.7 million people visited <\/a> DPR pools.<\/p>\n

The City has a long history of providing recreational bathing and swimming to residents. In 1938, Commissioner Robert Moses launched a free swim program as a public safety initiative, in response to the reported 400 drownings in the City each year<\/a>. DPR continues to offer free programs such as \u201cLearn to Swim<\/a>\u201d to members of recreation centers that include indoor swimming pools. The program teaches approximately 7,000 children each summer. Also, children ages six through 17 are offered the Holiday Learn to Swim program <\/a>during spring recess at pools across the City. Since 2018, DPR has upgraded 16 outdoor pools throughout each borough under the Cool Pools NYC initiative<\/a>. The Cool Pools NYC initiative targeted pools that have not had any renovations since they were constructed in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

On April 26, 2023, the Committee on Parks and Recreation, chaired by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, will hold a hearing to consider several pieces of legislation on identifying suitable locations for additional public swimming pools, reporting on staffing levels and training for the City’s pools and beaches programs, and providing swimming lessons for free to children aged 13 and younger.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
<\/i><\/p>\n

64<\/h3>\n

Public Pool
\nLocations<\/h3>\n

DPR-Owned Facilities
\nDec 2021<\/small><\/p>\n

\n

68 %<\/h3>\n

Lack Pool Access<\/h3>\n

% of New Yorkers with more than
\na 15-minute walk<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Download the Data <\/i><\/a>
\nData Team Home <\/i><\/a>
\nLearn More About the Hearing <\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Public Pools in NYC<\/h2>\n
\n
\n

There are 91 pools distributed across 64 locations in NYC that are maintained by Parks – 79 outdoor and 12 indoor swimming pools<\/a> dispersed throughout the five boroughs.<\/p>\n

The most common types of pool are intermediate sized (28) and wading (24) pools. They make up about 31% and 26%, respectively, of all pools. Less common pools are olympic (15), large (5), and diving (4) pools.<\/p>\n

Parks pools vary greatly in size. Mini Pools are the smallest at 40′ x 20′ and 3 feet deep. Wading Pools can be as small as 24′ x 24′ and 1 foot deep to 220′ x 92′ and 2.5 feet deep. Large Pools are ~100′ x ~50′ and 4 feet deep. Olympic Pools are >200′ x >100′ and around 4 feet deep. Diving Pools come in many sizes, but are at least 8′ deep.<\/p>\n

Manhattan has the most pools (21 pools) and Staten Island the least (7 pools). Manhattan also has the overall best access to pools – 65% of Manhattan residents are able to walk to a pool in 15 minutes or less – and Queens has the worst access to pools – only 12% of residents are able to walk to a pool in 15 minutes or less.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
Pool Types<\/strong>
\n2022<\/small><\/div>\n