Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura on Saturday joined local families at the Thomas Jefferson Pool in Manhattan to 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, 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 Mamdani, who jumped into the pool fully clothed.
In Brooklyn, the Red Hook pool remains closed, however, as the filter plant beneath the pool flooded as the Parks Department got ready to open the pool, according to a spokesperson.
The flooding damaged the motors and other equipment and and Parks Department is waiting for replacement parts to arrive. The pool is expected to open by the end of July, the spokesperson said.
The city this year is expanding its popular adult lap swim program from five to 10 pools, including at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn. Lap swim will be available Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 8:30am.
Residents can sign up for free Learn to Swim classes now at 18 outdoor pools, with more than 16,000 class slots. Registration is open now.
The summer aquatics program runs from July 6 through Aug. 28, including a Senior Splash water aerobics class at the Sunset Park pool.
The city’s free outdoor public pools are open daily through Sept. 13. More information programming is available on the Parks Department website.
