Several of the city’s recreation centers are set to reopen next week.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP announced that the first phase of recreation center reopenings will begin with the opening of 13 centers on June 14. Two more centers will reopen on June 23.
To ensure proper social distancing and prevent overcrowding, initially, recreation centers will only be open to members who were active as of March of 2020.
“Recreation centers sit at the heart of so many communities, providing New Yorkers of all ages the chance to participate in athletics and a variety of other programming,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “As we take these steps to reopen safely, I encourage everyone who isn’t vaccinated already to get their shot today.”
As a result of the pandemic, park recreation centers closed to the public in March 2020. They were repurposed to support COVID-19-related services such as COVID-19 testing, vaccination, mask and food distribution hubs, as well as youth education and childcare services.
The following centers will reopen on June 14:
- Hunts Point – Bronx
- Brownsville – Brooklyn
- Hansborough – Manhattan
- Alfred E. Smith – Manhattan
- Highbridge – Manhattan
- Rec Center 54 – Manhattan
- Thomas Jefferson – Manhattan
- Tony Dapolito – Manhattan
- Al Oerter – Queens
- Lost Battalion Hall – Queens
- Greenbelt – Staten Island
- Lyons – Staten Island
- Faber – Staten Island
The McCarren center in Brooklyn and Ocean Breeze center in Staten Island will reopen on June 23. Once reopened, the centers will operate at a reduced capacity and masks will be required for all. Recreation equipment will be arranged with social distancing in mind and will be cleaned frequently. Indoor pools will still be closed to the public.
“As our city continues to take great strides in recovering and reopening, we are thrilled to begin the process of reopening our recreation centers for New Yorkers to enjoy,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “While we are excited to begin reopening our centers, we urge everyone to get vaccinated and continue to follow mask and social distancing guidance, so that we may fully emerge, together, from this pandemic.”
