NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — With the extreme heat taking over over New York City this week, the need for public pool access is at an all-time high. And city officials are tackling the issue for now and the future.
Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation on Tuesday announced the “Let’s Swim NYC” initiative, a $1 billion capital investment into building, improving and protecting the city’s public pools over the course of five years.
This funding will mark the city’s highest period of investment in swimming infrastructure since the 1970s.
“New York City’s pools and beaches are incredible places for New Yorkers to come together, learn to swim, and beat the heat,” said Adams. “And as climate change makes heat waves like this week’s more common and more severe, the need for pools has never been greater.”
The investment will also bring needed funding to 39 pools, including building two brand new indoor pools and fully renovating three additional pools.
“At our free public pools across the city, New Yorkers of all backgrounds can relax, get exercise, and cool off on hot summer days,” added NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “But public pools are more than a luxury – they’re a vital public resource that promotes public health and makes our communities safer from extreme heat.”
In addition to the billion-dollar funding, two newly-completed, state-of-the-art swimming pools were unveiled at a high campus in the Bronx. The updated pools will be available to use by student and school groups, according to New York City Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks.
“These facilities not only promote physical fitness and wellness, but also foster a sense of community and pride within the school community,” Banks acknowledged.
City officials added $85 million out of the more than $1 billion will be used on good repair projects to protect aging infrastructure of the pools.
READ MORE: Dangerous heat wave forecast for New York City, Tri-State area
Excessive heat conditions contributed to about 350 deaths in New York last year.
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