15 NYC Pools Set to Reopen by August 1 for Summer 2020 Swimming

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On the day when beaches reopened for swimming and splashing, New Yorkers got some more welcome news: 15 of the city's 53 pools will reopen by August 1, providing another place for city families to seek some relief from summer's heat.

Though many of the reopening pools aren't on our list of the most family-friendly swimming pools, the 15 pools selected are among the city's largest. Spread across all five boroughs, their locations are concentrated in the neighborhood's hardest hit by the pandemic and those furthest away from the newly reopened beaches. Four pools are located in Manhattan, there are three each in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn, and two in Staten Island. Three pools—Wagner in Manhattan, Mullaly in the Bronx, and Liberty Pool in Queens—have a reopening date of Friday, July 24; the rest are slated to open on Saturday, August 1. Pool season generally lasts through Labor Day, which falls on Monday, September 7, 2020. NYC's public pools are FREE.

Read on for more details on the 2020 pool season, which will have even more rules than usual, and be sure to see our roundup of the best spraygrounds in NYC to keep your kids cool until they can take a dip.

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"I think these 15 pools are going to make a big, big difference for people in communities all over New York City," Mayor Bill de Blasio said when he announced the openings during his Wednesday press briefing. "Now, again, we're going to do it the right way. There will be social distancing; there will be face coverings when you're not in the pool. We're going to do this with all the standards the state has rightfully set for keeping people safe. And, yeah, there are restrictions. It's going to be different. There's going to be spacing when people are waiting in line to go in, there's going to be a lot of things to make sure we really hold on to the progress we made on health care, but it will all be worth it. And for our kids, in particular, it's going to help for them to have a better summer."

Governor Andrew Cuomo gave the green light for pool reopenings on June 11. Pools are required to follow the guidelines set forth by the state at that time, which includes decreased capacity, social distancing, and mask-wearing when you're not in the pool. Group sizes will be limited to 10 or fewer individuals.

If you're ready to take the plunge, here's the list of pools set to reopen for swimming in 2020. In the past, pool hours have been 11am-7pm daily, with a break from 3-4pm.

Manhattan Pools Reopening for Summer 2020 Swimming

1. Hamilton Fish Pool – East Village
Houston Street at Pitt Street
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
Considered by many to be the best public pool in the borough, Hamilton Fish has two pools: an Olympic-sized one for adults and big kids (56 inches and taller) and a wading pool for younger children. There's also a beautiful little park nearby with sprinklers, a play area, and places to picnic and relax in the shade.

2. Jackie Robinson Pool – Harlem
145th Street at Bradhurst Avenue
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
This Olympic-sized pool is shrouded in shade thanks to the old-growth trees that dot the park's perimeter. While there's no kiddie-pool onsite, the entire pool has a maximum depth of 3 1/2 feet. There are a playground and a sprayground on the pool deck for extra diversions and bleacher-like seats line one side of the complex, so there's plenty of room to spread out.

3. Wagner Pool – East Harlem
124th Street between First and Second Avenues
Reopens Friday, July 24, 2020
An intermediate-sized pool, Wagner got the Cool Pools treatment before last summer. In addition to the main pool, there's a wading pool. Brightly colored walls and beach chairs scattered about add to its allure.

4. Marcus Garvey Pool – Harlem
124th Street at Fifth Avenue
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
Another intermediate pool, Marcus Garvey sits in the middle of the park of the same name. It's got a maximum depth of 4-feet, and like it's neighbor to the north, plenty of places to spread out and sunbathe on the bleacher-like pool deck. When you're done with your dip, one of our favorite scoop shops is a short walk away.

Brooklyn Pools Reopening for Summer 2020 Swimming

5. Sunset Park Pool – Sunset Park
Seventh Avenue between 41-44th Streets
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
Located in the picturesque park of the same name, this Olympic-sized pool is ever-popular. Its maximum depth is 3 1/2 feet. Take the plunge on a clear day, and you can enjoy stunning views overlooking lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, and the busy harbor.

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6. Betsy Head Pool – Brownsville
Boyland Street between Livonia and Dumont Avenues
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
This Olympic-sized pool has a max depth of just over 4-feet. It sits within the park of the same name, which has undergone a series of renovations as part of the Anchor Parks program, including the recent completion of a playground overhaul.

7. Kosciuszko Pool – Bed-Stuy
Marcy Avenue between DeKalb Avenue and Kosciuszko Street
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
Kosciuszko Pool is home to an Olympic-sized pool and a wading pool for little ones. Locals rave about its cleanliness and advise arriving early if you want to snag one of the lounge chairs to lay out.


Get respite from the summer heat at the Astoria Park Pool.  Photo courtesy of NYC Parks

Queens Pools Reopening for Summer 2020 Swimming

8. Astoria Park Pool – Astoria
19th Street and 23rd Drive
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
Located right on the water and near the RFK Bridge, this park boasts the city's largest public swimming pool. Surrounded by concrete bleachers, it was constructed in 1936 and is 330-feet long, about the length of a city block! The pool has distinct roped-off sections, including a wading area for little kids.

9. Liberty Pool – Jamaica
173rd Street at 106th Avenue
Reopens Friday, July 24, 2020
This pool, in Detective Keith L. Williams Park, isn't the largest on our list, but a lovely wading pool accompanies it. Liberty Pool is another one of the city's Cool Pools, so you're surrounded by brightly hued signs, and umbrellas provide a bit of shade.

10. Fisher Pool – East Elmhurst
99th Street at 32nd Avenue
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
If the intermediate-sized pool here isn't enough to cool you off, maybe the arctic-inspired mural with penguins and an igloo will.

RELATED: Best Spraygrounds and Sprinklers for NYC Kids

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Crotona Pool has a spectacular sprayground and spacious, Olympic-sized pool. Photo courtesy of NYC Landmarks

Bronx Pools Reopening for Summer 2020 Swimming

11. Crotona Pool – Crotona
173rd Street and Fulton Avenue Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
This Olympic-sized pool is located in Crotona Park and has an impressive sprayground right on the pool deck in case your littles are too timid to dip their toes in the big pool.

12. Mullaly Pool – Morrisania
164th Street between Jerome and River Avenues
Reopens Friday, July 24, 2020
An intermediate-sized pool, Mullaly Pool is also home to a wading pool. Beyond the pool's border, explore the rest of the fun at this jam-packed South Bronx park, which includes a playground, sprinklers, a skatepark, and plenty of green space.

13. Haffen Pool – Baychester
Burke Avenue at Ely Avenue
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
This intermediate-sized pool also has a wading pool onsite, which is in a separate area away from the raucous big-kid crowd. This is a perk if you're hanging with little ones, but tough if you're trying to supervise a multi-age group.

Staten Island Pools Reopening for Summer 2020 Swimming

14. Lyons Pool – Westerleigh
Pier 6 and Victory Boulevard
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
A large, Olympic-sized pool, Lyons can get crowded thanks to its location near the Staten Island Railway, buses, and the Ferry terminal.

15. Tottenville Pool – Tottenville
Hylan Boulevard and Joline Avenue
Reopens Saturday, August 1, 2020
Another newly Cool Pool, Tottenville has both an intermediate-sized main pool and a wading pool. When you're done splashing, visit the nearby playground frolic while you drip dry.

In addition to these FREE public pools, pools at New York State Parks are also set to reopen just in time for the Fourth of July weekend. That means city families can take a dip at Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx or Harlem's Riverbank State Park. Fees at these state-run parks are $1 for children and $2 for everyone over the age of 16.

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