Queens pools begin to reopen

Liberty Pool in Jamaica opened Friday. Photo via NYC Parks

By David Brand

Two public pools in Queens opened Friday as the city gradually reintroduces the summertime staples.

Liberty Pool in Jamaica and Fisher Pool in East Elmhurst were among the first eight swimming holes to open across the city.

“There'll be smart efforts to keep people safe, but it's also going to provide a lot of wonderful relief for residents of those neighborhoods and folks from all around,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference Thursday. “We're really excited that our public pools will be opening up again, starting tomorrow.

Seven additional pools will open next Friday, he said.

“It’s a good situation, and doctors will attest that chlorine is our friend in fighting the coronavirus, but we still have to be really careful about crowding, really careful about people being in too close contact,” de Blasio added.

The move to reopen pools comes three months after de Blasio initially said pools would be closed all summer to prevent the spread of COVID-19.