NYC Mayor Eric Adams Announces $5.5 Million Expansion Of Free Swim Lessons Program
03/30/2025 04:08 PM
By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sue Donoghue detailed the expansion of the city's $5.5 million expansion of its free swim lessons program on Tuesday, Mar. 25. Adams first announced the expansion during his January State of the City address. Last week marked the first time he detailed what that expansion would entail.
NYC Parks plans to expand the program by $5.5 million, aiming to reach another 4,800 second-graders this year. This would bring the total number of students served by the program to almost 18,000, with the lessons taking place at public city pools and some select third-party locations. This expansion will specifically focus on reaching "more students in underserved areas, delivering a safer and more affordable city," read the city's press release, noting that "more than 60 percent of NYC Parks' pools are less than one-quarter of a mile from a New York City Housing Authority campus and in communities with high Heat Vulnerability Index scores."
"As New York City summers get hotter, New Yorkers of all ages increasingly rely on our 14 miles of beaches and dozens of pools to cool off," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeffrey Roth.
He added, "While we invest in hardware, spending over $1 billion to retrofit and build new city pools, all that infrastructure only goes so far without the safety skills to go along with it. We're starting kids early, in second grade, providing free swim safety classes so kids build skills that will follow them for the rest of their lives."
In his announcement, Adams estimated the program saves New York City families over $1.3 million. "To make New York City the best place to raise a family, we must continue to invest in the services that families need and deserve, and that includes swim safety," said Adams. "Expanding free swimming classes will enrich our young people's lives and keep them safe, allowing families to confidently take advantage of our world-class beaches and pools."
This administration has reopened seven New York City pools over the last three years. Last June, Adams announced a $1 billion investment in pools across all five boroughs. That investment included money for two new pools in Brooklyn and Queens, which would be the first public city pools newly opened since 2008.
These investments in water safety and public pool expansion come during a nationwide lifeguard shortage. As free swimming lessons make beaches and pools safely accessible for more people, the city must have adequate staffing to keep these places open. During its announcement on Tuesday, the Adams administration reminded New Yorkers of existing incentives for lifeguards. These include an increase in pay and a bonus for returning lifeguards as the city continues negotiations with the city lifeguards' bargaining unit.
According to the New York City government, 13,000 young people learned to swim through the NYC Parks' free swimming classes during Fiscal Year 2024.
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