FROM THE OFFICE OF ALBANY MAYOR KATHY SHEEHAN:
ALBANY, NY – Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Department of Recreation Commissioner Jonathan Jones have announced the opening of the City’s three swimming pools, effective Friday, July 3, 2020 at 12:00 p.m..
Lincoln Park Pool:
- Open daily from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Location: 701 Lincoln Park Road
- Capacity Limit: 150 residents
Arbor Hill Community Center Pool:
- Open Monday-Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Location: 50 Lark Street
- Capacity Limit: 40 residents
Mater Christi Pool:
- Open daily from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Location: 1134 New Scotland Road (behind NYS Correctional Services Training Academy)
- Capacity Limit: 26 residents
Additional precautions will be taken at City of Albany pools this summer to ensure the health and safety of City residents:
- Capacity limits at City pools will be lower than in prior years to ensure continued compliance with NYS Department of Health COVID-19 guidelines.
- Time limits may be instituted at any time if there are a large number of residents waiting to use a pool and the capacity limit has been reached.
- City of Albany pools will only be open to City of Albany residents because of NYS Department of Health COVID-19 capacity limits.
- Residents must provide proof of residency at their initial visit to be entered into the City’s RecDesk system.
- Examples of proof of residency may include driver license, school ID card, utility bill, report card, working papers, etc.
- After their initial visit, residents will not need to bring proof of residency in the future.
- Children must be with an adult over the age of 18 who must provide contact tracing information, including name, address, and phone number.
“The City of Albany has worked very hard to ensure our residents can safely enjoy our pools this summer,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. “I want to thank Commissioner Jonathan Jones and the team at the Department of Recreation for quickly bringing together the resources needed to ensure these treasured summer amenities are available to our residents.”
“Our entire city has come together to help our residents cool off during the summer,” said Department of Recreation Commissioner Jonathan Jones. “I want to thank our entire team at the Department of Recreation as well as the Department of General Services, Water Department, and Police Department for working together to help us bring these pools online as quickly as possible, providing a fun, safe summer environment for our residents.”
Pools are a great way to cool down during the summer, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a few extra precautions residents must take to ensure a fun and safe visit:
Be prepared: All lockers and showers will be closed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and restrooms will be disinfected by the City’s Ranger staff every hour. Areas will be identified outside locker rooms for residents to place their belongings. Please make sure to wash or sanitize hands before and after use. The sites should be used at your own risk.
Feeling sick? Stay home: Residents planning on visiting a pool are required to self-assess. Anyone experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms should not visit a pool. Symptoms can be found on the NYS Department of Health website: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/protect-yourself-and-your-family-coronavirus-covid-19
Wear a mask: All residents are required to wear a mask when visiting a City pool, except when swimming.
Practice social distancing: Social distancing is required at all City pools. Residents are required to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet away from every other person at the pool. This does not apply to residents of the same household.
Be aware of your surroundings: Residents are urged to closely watch children they are with to ensure they are safe.
Check location details: Before visiting a pool, residents should visit the Department of Recreation Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/albanynydepartmentofrecreation/, the Department of Recreation website at https://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/Recreation.aspx, or by calling the Department of Recreation at (518) 434-5699 to ensure the site is operating.
The City of Albany also announced the opening of the City’s 11 Spray Pads effective Saturday, June 20. Spray pads are open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and admission is free. For more information about locations of spray pads as well as the specific rules surrounding their use, please visit https://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/Recreation/SeasonalPools.aspx