Mayor Eric Adams celebrated the opening of New York City's public pools during a press briefing.
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NewsTranscript
00:00All right. Are you ready? You're not jumping in there, right? You're gonna make a countdown for us to do it.
00:17All right. We couldn't have a better day to open the Astoria pool, reopen the Astoria pool.
00:27We're in the middle of Olympic trials right now. And decades ago, there were Olympic trials right behind us.
00:34And this is a pool that's actually bigger than an Olympic sized pool. It's about an Olympic and a half, a million gallons of water.
00:43So I just want to say thank you to the men and women behind us today, because construction in New York City is not for the faint of heart.
00:54Reopening this pool happened in a year, and it means that everybody in this community and throughout the city can come back to Astoria and make memories.
01:07And those memories grow up to be the adults that end up doing the work that you see with the people represented behind me.
01:14And I also want to give a big shout out to the parks department and the lifeguards for all of the work that they do to make sure that pools are safe and available and accessible for all.
01:27And with that, I'd like to turn it over to our mayor, Eric Adams.
01:35Thank you so much and really excited. Can I say enough about Sue and her team on how they understand how imperative it is for us to have these recreational spaces?
01:47You know, pools are just more than just a place that occupies a large volume of water.
01:53This is our French Riviera. You know, this is our Bahamas, Bermuda.
01:57This is our luxury vacation with families are able to find inexpensive, inexpensive ways to just engage and spend family time together.
02:07You'd be surprised how many important decisions are made while you dry off after the day of swimming in the pool.
02:15You sit down and talk about what school you're going to, where you're going to move to, where you're going to live.
02:20And then you have those who are really discovering our city at this for the first time.
02:26Just the diversity of a pool like Astoria pool, bringing all the various groups together and having them realize that the great equalizes that we're going to share the same water.
02:37We can share the same water. We can share the same streets, the same subway, the same jobs, the same schools.
02:44This is the excitement of what we're seeing.
02:46So I want to just really thank the commissioner and our entire team. Job well done.
02:53We're ready to splash and get cool today. And I'm just really happy to have my colleagues here with me.
02:59The president of Queens, Donovan, which is councilwoman Tiffany Caban, as well as the ever present hardworking assembly woman, woman, Jennifer Raj Kumar.
03:14We're ready to make a splash and cool down this summer with 50 public pools across our city, including, you know, right here.
03:23Astoria pool. Really exciting place. We put the money in it and we did it.
03:28We renovated 19 million dollars.
03:32This reconstruction is really going to provide a entire summer of fun and activity.
03:39And being in the water this summer is going to allow young people to really, as Deputy Mayor Mira Joshi stated, create a lifetime of memories and a lifetime of friendships and bonding that goes with it.
03:53It is hot this summer, but we're going to cool down in our pools.
03:58This is our biggest investment. We launched a swim in one scene, investment of more than a billion dollars, more than a billion dollars in our city's pools over five years.
04:10And as I was saying, this is our biggest investment in pools in over 50 years shows how we have focused our attention.
04:23It will help us build more pools and protect, improve our existing pools in all five boroughs.
04:27Many of these pools have laid dormant, unoccupied, and they were not renovated.
04:32And we wanted to make sure that we will open these pools.
04:36And Sue and her team just really focused on how we done a partner with the deputy mayor.
04:43Josie entire portfolio to actually get to constructions, construction underway, great city resources that were being underutilized.
04:53But you know, you can't have a good pool without a good lifeguard.
04:56And it was so important for us to really focus on how we address the issues of our lifeguard shortages.
05:03That is why we're doing everything in our power to hire more lifeguards.
05:08And as a result of our ongoing negotiations with the lifeguard union, we have been able to expand lifeguard hiring and staffing for the 2024 summer season and beyond.
05:21We already have more than 600 total lifeguards on staff and would open up pools today with more guards than we had at this time last year.
05:32Good negotiation during the offseason.
05:34Really looking at some of the rules to change them to make sure that we can continue the safety that we expect, but also get lifeguards here so we can get our children and families enjoying our pool.
05:46This is a great kickoff for our summer of possibilities with our largest ever summer streets program across the five boroughs.
05:54There's no greater place to be during the summertime than in New York City.
05:59This is why we're opening to do movies in the park at night, free cultural events, hiring halls and pays, summer interns, summer rising programs.
06:10And our pools are open, our beaches are open, and our city is cleaner and greener than ever.
06:16This is how you protect public safety, revitalize our economy, and make the city more livable for working class people every day.
06:23Enjoy the summer, a great, safe summer.
06:27Leave the summer not only with great memories, but with great friends.
06:30Volunteer, participate, invite someone to the pool with you.
06:34Let's really start falling in love again with the greatest city on the globe.
06:39That's New York City because we have the greatest people on the globe.
06:41Thank you very much.
06:44Thank you very much.
06:48And now I'd like to introduce the woman who is leading all of this great fun and excitement and memories and teaching New Yorkers how to swim across every borough.
06:58Commissioner Sue Donahue.
07:01Thank you, Deputy Mayor Joshi.
07:06Thank you, Mayor Adams.
07:08And good morning, Astoria.
07:10What a gorgeous morning to be here.
07:12I can't think of a more beautiful setting.
07:15I am so excited to be with you this morning to celebrate the beginning of our outdoor pool season.
07:21And it's so fitting that we're kicking off a summer of possibility right here at the iconic Astoria Pool, the largest public pool in the city and one of the most beloved, no doubt.
07:40As the mayor mentioned, we recently completed a major $19 million project to upgrade this pool, which is almost 100 years old, to make sure that it's in prime condition for generations to come.
07:56Our pools are not only great places to have fun.
08:00As the mayor talked about, they are vital aspects, vital pieces of social infrastructure.
08:07It's where people and kids and families come together to make great memories.
08:13Our public pools offer safe access to water, and for so many New Yorkers, it's where they first learn to swim.
08:21And they're spaces where we come to to keep cool on hot days, which is so important as our city grapples with extreme heat.
08:30Building, maintaining, and protecting our living infrastructure like pools is essential to meeting all of the challenges our city faces today.
08:41That's why earlier this month, NYC Parks announced the Vital Parks Plan, our new framework for investing in our open spaces and empowering New Yorkers to both celebrate and advocate for the great public spaces we have across the city.
08:59As part of that announcement, we are so proud, as the mayor mentioned, to dedicate more than a billion dollars of investments to building new pools and improving our existing pools, like you see here at Astoria, to make sure that they are in good shape for generations.
09:17These facilities are not just luxuries.
09:20They are necessities.
09:22It's exciting to be here to celebrate the opening of our outdoor pools for all New Yorkers to enjoy for free.
09:30Starting today, our outdoor pools across the city will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and they stay open until September the 8th.
09:41I'm also excited to say that we will be bringing back our popular Learn to Swim program, helping New Yorkers learn life-saving water safety skills.
09:53Beginning this Friday, New Yorkers can sign up for this great program through our website, nyc.gov slash parks.
10:01Even the strongest swimmers get into trouble sometimes, so I urge all New Yorkers to follow some simple tips to keep themselves and, importantly, their families safe.
10:12Lifeguards are here for our protection, so be sure to follow their directions, and please follow all signs and posted notices.
10:23In addition to being careful in the water, we also encourage you at the Parks Department to protect your skin, so we're once again providing free sunscreen with dispensers at all of our outdoor pools.
10:39We want everyone to have fun this summer, but most importantly, we want you all to be safe.
10:45Before I turn the mic back over to our next speakers, I'd like to take a moment to thank all the parks employees who work so hard behind the scenes at our pools citywide to make sure this vital resource is available and accessible for all New Yorkers.
11:04I want to give a big shout-out to Phil Granito, who made this park happen. Thank you, Phil!
11:11Our maintenance and operations staff, our citywide services staff, it's a million gallons of water in this pool. It does not happen overnight.
11:19The work that goes on by our Parks Department staff is incredible, so we are so thankful, and I want all of us to give him a big shout-out.
11:26This is going to be a great summer, and I look forward to seeing you all at our parks and our pools. Have a great, safe, and fun summer. Thanks so much.
11:41Thank you. Next, we're going to hear from a man who has made it his business to make Queens a place of meeting places, with markets and public space and also pools.
11:51Our Queensborough president, Donovan Richards.
11:57Well, good morning, Queens. How y'all feeling? How's Astoria feeling? And how are the Mets fans feeling, importantly?
12:05I saw a Parks Department staffer with a Yankee hat. We're going to have to report. We're going to have to turn you in.
12:11But, sure, it's an honor to be here. I couldn't be prouder to be here.
12:16And this summer is here, and we know we live in a city surrounded by water, of course.
12:21But just because we don't live by the beach doesn't mean we can't get in the water in Queens.
12:28Though that is what it meant last summer, I couldn't be happier to be back here a year later.
12:33Congratulations to the Parks Department on getting this done on time, and what we say, Mr. Mayor, on budget.
12:42And, of course, when school is out during the summer, our kids need a safe and nurturing place to go, a positive place to hang with their friends,
12:49and most importantly, a free place, because one of the things we love about our parks is that they are open to everyone,
12:56no matter your socioeconomic status, your zip code, who you love, race or religion.
13:00You can always gather in spaces like Astoria.
13:03I call our parks our democratic institutions, the lungs of our community that really are open to everyone.
13:11And, of course, Astoria represents both.
13:14And just watch, kids are going to end up in here instead of getting in trouble, Mr. Mayor.
13:19We often talk about not criminalizing our way out of poverty.
13:23Well, having open spaces like this ensures our kids are in a safe space and can be productive.
13:30Same goes for our older adults, too, a place to interact and stay active.
13:36And the same goes for our youngest kids, learning to swim right here, including the OEM commissioner's kids.
13:42And, of course, this pool is almost 90 years old, but you'd never know it.
13:47And I have to also once again point out that we are working on the locker rooms.
13:52Florence is here.
13:53I look forward to getting that done with Councilmember Caban and the mayor, who will put more money in as well.
13:59Thank you, Mr. Mayor, in advance.
14:01And, of course, we have a lot more work to make sure that swim equity is centered around the borough.
14:06I want to thank the mayor for his partnership in opening up what will be a new pool at Roy Wilkins Park.
14:11And, of course, I have to mention the Rockaways, which we're working on an indoor and outdoor pool.
14:16Mr. Mayor, we look forward to getting the money in the days to come to finish that project up.
14:21With that being said, to Parks Commissioner Donahue and the entire team, thank you all for giving back to this community.
14:29And, of course, we need to make sure our parks are fully funded and that we can have lifeguards stationed everywhere.
14:35Congratulations to all.
14:40And making all of this possible and accessible to every New York are the men and women in orange and green, the lifeguards.
14:48They take grueling tests, undergo grueling training, and have an incredible commitment to public safety.
14:56So I'd like next to bring up Caitlin Zhang, who is a senior lifeguard, and give us a little bit of advice on how to handle the summer.
15:04And also a real round of applause for her and her team.
15:12Good morning, everyone.
15:16I'm so honored to be here to be able to share my thoughts with you today.
15:20So I want to start off by saying lifeguards help make summer fun possible.
15:25And their life-saving skills are vital as New Yorkers head to our beaches and pools citywide.
15:30This year, New York City and our lifeguard corps have taken some big steps that will make it easier to hire more lifeguards,
15:37improve lifeguard operations, and help get more New Yorkers safely in the water in our pools and beaches.
15:42The new agreement, pay raise for new hires, and signing bonus for returning lifeguards,
15:47represent a major win for public safety and the people of the city while maintaining our high standards.
15:53Overall, becoming a seasonal lifeguard is more than just a job.
15:56It's an opportunity to be a part of a brave team dedicated to the public service.
16:01I'm grateful that the administration appreciates how valuable our service is
16:05and is committed to helping even more New Yorkers get involved as lifeguards.
16:08Thank you.
16:09Thank you.
16:15Before we open to any questions, we should let our two Olympic swimmers speak,
16:22that are just council people and assembly persons now, because I know you're a great swimmer.
16:26Why don't you come up and talk about this excitement, Councilwoman Caban.
16:30Thank you.
16:32Thank you, Mr. Mayor, all of the colleagues.
16:34Thank you, Parks Department.
16:36Y'all did an incredible job.
16:38We're excited to be here.
16:39I just want to tell you a very, very quick story, because I know my story and my family's story is not unique,
16:45and this is true of so many families across Astoria and across Queens.
16:49My parents grew up coming to this pool.
16:52My grandmother was a single mother in NYCHA housing who really, really struggled to get by,
16:58and vacations were not a thing.
17:01Camps, day camps, sleep-away, that was not a thing.
17:04But what was, was Astoria Pool.
17:08They came here all the time, and some of their best memories were right here in this pool.
17:14So it has a personal connection to me, and I'm really excited to spend the summer here
17:18with this world-class, one-of-a-kind facility,
17:22and just double down on what we heard from the mayor, from the commissioner, from our borough president.
17:28This is what public safety looks like.
17:30When we have fully funded parks and pools, when we have lifeguards,
17:34when we have a place for everybody of all ages to gather to build community,
17:39keeps folks out of trouble, keeps them cool, keeps them healthy, keeps them safe.
17:42So more of it.
17:44Enjoy the summer.
17:45Celebrate.
17:46This is a great way to kick it off.
17:47Thank you.
17:49That's a great story, you know, to be, for a grandmother to have used this pool,
17:59and now you're part of the funding to renovate the pool for more great, for grandparents.
18:05And our second Olympic swimmer, Assemblywoman Rajkumar.
18:12Good morning, Astoria.
18:14Are you excited for pool season?
18:18I'm State Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar, and I am ready to make a big splash this summer.
18:24This is the summer of possibility.
18:26Yesterday, the schools closed for the year, and the next day is pool season.
18:31I am so excited to be standing here at Astoria Pool, the largest pool in New York City.
18:37And on this day, 49 other pools are also opening across the city for summer revelers.
18:48And I am just so excited for what pools do, yes, for community, for our local businesses,
18:55but also for our New York City economy.
18:58Pool season is a real driver of our economy.
19:02In fact, the Parks Department has reported in a single summer, 1.7 million people use our pools.
19:10So what does that mean?
19:11That means that when they use the pool, they're also simulating the local economy.
19:16They're frequenting the businesses in the area.
19:18It also is creating incredible employment for our lifeguards, for administrative staff.
19:24So pools are the economic engine of the greatest city on earth.
19:29And as a state partner for the city, I'm committed to also ensuring that we have a steady stream
19:36of state funding coming in for New York City and for our pools.
19:40So everyone, have a wonderful summer.
19:43Make all your dreams come true and enjoy this summer of possibility.
19:48Thank you, thank you, thank you.
19:51I don't know if it was missed, but I want to make sure Katie got it.
19:54We did this in one year.
19:56One year, okay?
19:58Make sure you got that, you know.
20:01This is, we're getting stuff done for you, New York.
20:05We're getting stuff done for you.
20:07Are we doing on topics?
20:09Yeah.
20:10Yeah.
20:13How are you?
20:17If I get in my swimming trunks and dip in, it would be a scandal story.
20:22So I'll just use the pool in the private setting, you know.
20:29Because I wear Speedos.
20:34My real question is, are there pools that still haven't opened, you know, like we just
20:52wanted to know.
20:55Yes, exactly.
20:56Tompkins Square Park.
20:57Yes, we are doing it.
20:59We have 53 outdoor pools and 50 of them are opening because we have three that are under
21:05construction.
21:06A brand new pool opening in the Harlem Mirror, the one in Tompkins Square Park, as you mentioned,
21:11and then Tony D'Appolito.
21:13So those three are not opening, but 50 of our public pools are opening.
21:17Oh, no.
21:18Absolutely not.
21:19No, they're going to be renovated and reopened.
21:21Absolutely.
21:22Yes.
21:24Mayor Adams, I guess because the Borough President mentioned it, I know you were in the budget
21:28season.
21:29We expect a handshake soon.
21:30It needs to be by June 30th.
21:31You, as a campaign, when you were campaigning, you committed at least 1% of the city's annual
21:36budget towards parks.
21:38That hasn't happened.
21:39We have parks that are underfunded.
21:40We have parks that have a higher increase.
21:42Will you commit, at least in this budget or the next one, to improving the park's budget,
21:47increasing the park's budget, and maybe even getting it to 1%?
21:50And if it hasn't happened so far, can you explain to the people here why it hasn't happened?
21:54First of all, that must be one of the longest questions I've heard in the history of press
21:59conferences, you know?
22:00That must be the longest one.
22:02Listen, first of all, let's let the process play out with our leaders, and I say this
22:11over and over again.
22:13AA Airlines, we're going to land a plane.
22:16And when you look at what this city council has done and what my administration has done
22:22with the incoming of so many levels, including $4.3 billion that came out of our budget without
22:29any federal help, when you look at the sunsetting of major programs like Summer Rising, Pre-K,
22:353K, and we were able to sustain them, let's let the process go through.
22:40And I am confident, and Speaker Adams and the council members there, so let's let the
22:45process go through, and at the end of the day, trust me, we will all be celebrating
22:49the success of two successful leaders in this city that are both Queens residents and both
22:55went to Bayside High School, where I did my alma mater, graduation speak, two days ago,
23:01I believe it was.
23:02But let's let the process go through.
23:04Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.
23:08Again, let's let the process go through, okay?
23:14Next.
23:17How are you?
23:18You look very summery.
23:19Oh, I can't say that.
23:20I forgot.
23:24Yes.
23:25Yes, we were so pleased back in February to announce an increase in pay to $22 an hour,
23:43plus a $1,000 retention bonus for our returning lifeguards, that is now going to be, it's
23:50going to be set going forward.
23:52We've done a whole lot of work.
23:54I'm so proud of the team.
23:55Our first deputy commissioner, Iris Rodriguez Rosa.
23:58We've expanded our training.
24:00We've expanded opportunities.
24:02And we renegotiated the lifeguard contract.
24:04So first time in 40 years.
24:07That does give us more opportunity, more help with bringing in more lifeguards, changes
24:12some of the standards, puts us in more of a management position.
24:17So we are seeing more.
24:18We were better with recruitment.
24:20We're seeing more coming in.
24:22And it's going in the right direction.
24:24We're seeing more lifeguards coming into the recruitment stream.
24:28We're over where we were last year.
24:30We're opening up all of our pools today, which is a major accomplishment.
24:34We want to be able to have New Yorkers be out there, but to be out there safe and have
24:38the lifeguards they need.
24:45So last year we were at 850, 850 lifeguards.
24:49We're looking to do that again this year or exceed that.
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