NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday that New York State Parks will be waiving swimming pool entry fees this summer.
The initiative is part of Hochul's “Get Offline, Get Outside” summer campaign, which encourages New York’s kids and families to put down their phones, take a break from social media, and enjoy outdoor activities.
“We’re making it easier for our young people to put down their phones and computers, enjoy time with friends and family, and stay active all cross our state,” Hochul said. “Summer is here – get offline and get outside.”
“This is to promote mental health, physical health and encouraging families and our kids to just go to a throwback time,” she added. “Think about when you were young, what you did with your time. You kicked a ball as you played catch, you swam. You just enjoyed life. You weren't sitting indoors, holding, being held captive to your cell phone. So that's our advice. Don't scroll through life. Just dive in and let’s get it started.”
Aside from the swimming pools, Hochul announced a $1.5 million grant program to help connect New York school-age children with swimming lessons. The Connect Kids to Swimming Instruction Transportation Grant will reimburse transportation costs for eligible entities traveling to state, municipal, and not-for-profit facilities that offer swim instruction.
“It is heartbreaking for me as a mom to know that the number one cause of death for infants ages one, up to toddlers age four, is drowning,” Hochul said. “And for ages 5 to 14, it's the number two cause of death. There are racial disparities even within those numbers. Because black children are three times as more likely to drown than their white peers.”
New Yorkers can now visit the following pools without being charged entry fees this summer:
New York City
Roberto Clemente State Park Pool – Bronx
Riverbank State Park Pools (Indoor and Outdoor) – Manhattan
Long Island
Jones Beach State Park West Bathhouse Pool – Wantagh
Montauk Downs State Park Pool – Montauk
Hudson Valley
Bear Mountain State Park Pool – Bear Mountain
FDR State Park Pool – Yorktown
High Tor State Park Pool – New City
Rockland Lake State Park Pool – Valley Cottage
Capital Region
Saratoga Spa State Park Pools (Peerless and Victoria) – Saratoga Springs
Mohawk Valley
Mine Kill State Park Pool – North Blenheim
Southern Tier
Watkins Glen State Park Pool – Watkins Glen
Finger Lakes
Letchworth State Park Pool – Castile
Western New York
Fort Niagara State Park Pool – Youngstown
North Country
Keewaydin State Park Pool – Alexandria Bay