[
Photo at Dry Dock from Sunday]
The Parks Department opens the city's 55 outdoor public pools for the summer today (Thursday!).
Around here, this means
Hamilton Fish Pool on Pitt and East Houston ... the
Dry Dock Pool on Avenue D and East 10th Street ... and the
Tompkins Square Pool (mini pool for kids!) ...
Most pools are open from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m., with a break for pool cleaning between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
There are rules though to help govern our swimming season. Some
helpful pointers via the Parks Department
website (bolded a few things for you):
What to Wear
You’ll need to have a swimsuit to enter the pool area. We may choose to check men’s shorts for a lining if we can’t tell if they are wearing a bathing suit. Feel the need to cover up from the sun? Throw on a plain white shirt or white hat and you’re set. We don’t allow shirts with colors on them on the deck.
Information for Parents
Thinking of bringing floaties? It’s safer to leave them at home and just stay in the shallow end of the pool until everyone learns to swim. Want to venture deeper? Try some of our free swimming classes.
Babies or toddlers can put on swim diapers before they head into the water. While we may be able to find a place to park your stroller, we can’t keep an eye on it for you, so bring it at your own risk.
What to Bring
Make sure you have a sturdy lock when you head out to the pool. It will keep your valuables safe, and let you hit the water feeling more secure about your belongings. Locks are required to enter, and we will not accept luggage locks.
What Not to Bring
You’ll need to leave food, glass bottles, electronic devices, and newspapers at home. Unbound periodicals tend to blow around and create litter, food can be messy to clean up after, and there’s too much water around to make sure your electronics stay safe. Just to be on the safe side, we also recommend leaving valuables like jewelry and credit cards at home.
Again, these are not my rules. So don't take out your no-floatie frustrations here.
Finally, go
here for info about the Hamilton Fish Pool Lap Swim program.