With Memorial Day weekend kicking off the unofficial start of summer, New Yorkers can seek fun in the sun at the city’s 14 miles of beaches and 30,000 acres of public parks, pools, and playgrounds.
But construction at some of the city’s open spaces and shorelines will close off some areas where residents typically beat the heat.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s affected this summer as you make plans outdoors.
Beaches
The city’s beaches open for swimming on Memorial Day weekend. Parks officials say people should only swim in areas when lifeguards are on duty, which is typically from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week starting this Saturday through Sept. 10.
Be warned that parts of the Rockaway beaches are undergoing sporadic, rolling closures due to the Army Corps of Engineers’ work to restore storm-damaged and eroded sections of the peninsula’s coastline.
The work will shutter 10- to 15-block sections of the beachfront between Beach 116th and Beach 149th streets. The construction will shift throughout that area all summer, closing off areas on a rolling basis. Parks officials did not provide an exact timeline as to when each section will be closed, and said they would notify local elected officials and community organizations as the construction work progresses.
The entirety of the Rockaway Beach boardwalk and concessions will remain open throughout the summer, despite the construction.
The Corps’ work, which kicked off in 2020 and is scheduled to wrap up in 2026, is part of its $336 million project to repair sections of the beach that were damaged by erosion and flooding from severe storms. The Corps is also installing 14 new jetties that protrude out into the ocean and trap sand to ease erosion. It’s also repairing five jetties that are already in place.
Pools
The city’s 48 outdoor pools will open on June 29 — but staffing shortages could affect access to swimming.
The parks department has struggled to recruit lifeguards since the pandemic started, and…
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