Whether you grew up visiting the pool and learning to swim your first laps, or you’re a transplant who’s in for their first experience, the pool is something Astorians look forward to every year – and we’re no different. The pool is the largest in New York City, so there’s no doubt it’s a summertime destination.

 

The pool is opening June 27th, and will stay open until September 1st.  Here’s some pool info:

Pool Hours

Outdoor pool hours are from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m., with a break for pool cleaning between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Early bird and night owl lap swim hours are also available at select sites.

Know Before You Go

 

What to Bring

 

Make sure you have a sturdy combination 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.

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.

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.

 

For the Kids

 

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.

 

Here’s some fun history on the pool: It originally was home to the Olympic Trials for the US Swim and Diving team. The Olympic swim tryouts began on the day in opened, Indepenence Day of 1936. The contest returned to the pool in 1964. You know those two fountains on the east end? They used to be Olympic torches! They burned throughout the events in 1936 and 1964.

 

So, who’s looking forward to the opening? What are you best memories of the pool?