State Park Pool Attendance Rises During Campaign

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York State Park pool attendance increased by nearly 36 percent this summer after making State Park pool access free as a part of her “Get Offline, Get Outside” campaign and New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative. Overall, State Park attendance also increased by nearly 2.5 percent over the summer season. The Governor launched the “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative to promote physical and mental health by helping New York’s kids and families to put down their devices, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings.

“We encouraged kids and families to put down their phones, get some fresh air, and cool off at state park pools for free this summer, and I’m so glad to see that more New Yorkers took advantage of these incredible facilities than ever before,” Governor Hochul said. “Under NY SWIMS, we are continuing to make safe swimming more accessible to all residents who visit state parks.”

From July 3 through Labor Day, 542,661 people visited select State Park pools – a 143,639 increase from the same period in 2023. On July 2, Governor Hochul announced that the State was waiving pool entry fees for the rest of this summer at swimming pools located at State Parks throughout New York. Overall, nearly 28.7 million people visited state parks and historic sites for the summer period, an increase of nearly 700,000 visits from 2023.

New Yorkers can continue visiting the following pools and beaches for swimming after Labor Day, weather permitting:

Hudson Valley

• Lake Tiorati Beach – Harriman State Park, Southfields – weekends through September 15
• Bear Mountain State Park pool, Bear Mountain – weekends through September 15

New York City

• Riverbank State Park indoor pool, Manhattan – daily through September 8

Long Island

• Jones Beach State Park beach, Wantagh – daily through September 15
• Robert Moses State Park beach, West Islip – daily through September 15
• Hither Hills State Park beach, Montauk – daily through September 15
• Sunken Meadow State Park beach, Kings Park – daily through September 15
• Wildwood State Park beach, Wading River – weekends through September 15

Capital Region

• Saratoga Spa State Park Victoria Pool, Saratoga Springs – weekends through September 15

Mohawk Valley

• Delta Lake State Park beach, Rome – Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8

Southern Tier

• Robert Treman State Park pool, Ithaca – Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8

Western New York

• Beaver Island State Park beach, Grand Island – weekends through September 15

New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, “Swimming is one of the biggest attractions at State Parks, and it’s been wonderful to offer free pool access for New Yorkers this year, congratulate over 2000 Learn-to-Swim graduates on learning a lifesaving skill, and plant seeds for future swimming instruction transportation through Connect Kids grants. I strongly encourage all New Yorkers to continue following the “Get Offline, Get Outside” mantra as we transition into the fall – one of the most beautiful times of year in this glorious state.”

Recognizing that drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4, NY SWIMS expanded the State Parks Learn-to-Swim program to help more New Yorkers swim. The American Red Cross provides free training to State Park lifeguards to obtain Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certification. This support has allowed for the certification of 40 additional Water Safety Instructors this season. Lifeguard staff who currently possess WSI certification also help provide more opportunities for swim lessons. The 2024 season saw swimming lesson programs at 22 state parks across the state this summer.

In August, the Governor announced that over 2,000 swimmers took advantage of New York State Parks’ free Learn-to-Swim lessons this summer with 22 facilities hosting lessons across the state – tripling the number of facilities from previous years. The expanded Learn-to-Swim program is part of the Governor’s NY SWIMS initiative which included doubling the number of water safety instruction programs offered at State Park pools and beaches in 2024.

Governor Hochul previously announced a $1.5 million Connect Kids to Swimming Instruction Transportation Grant program. Administered by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Connect Kids to Swimming Instruction Transportation Grant Program will connect New York school age children (pre-K through grade 12) with swimming instruction by reimbursing transportation costs (including parking and vehicle use fees) incurred by eligible entities for travel to facilities in New York State that are operated by State, municipal, and not-for-profit organizations and offer swim instruction for a nationally recognized learn-to-swim curriculum such as the American Red Cross, YMCA or Starfish Aquatics.

Additionally, the Governor announced the first round of funding from the $2 million secured in the FY 2025 Budget to make SUNY pools community anchors at 12 campuses across the State.

Governor Hochul’s “Get Offline, Get Outside” campaign builds on her efforts to promote healthy living among young people and families across New York. Governor Hochul recently signed nation-leading legislation – the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and New York Child Data Protection Act – to protect kids from addictive social media feeds and shield their personal data from online platforms.

As part of her $1 billion investment in mental health statewide, Governor Hochul has significantly expanded access to mental health care and resources for young people and their families, including school-based mental health clinics and Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams. The Governor built on this investment with additional funding for youth supports and services in the FY2025 Enacted Budget.

Just as Governor Hochul is helping young people to avoid unhealthy habits and support their mental health, she is also making it easier for kids to get physically active and spend time outdoors with friends and family. These announcements to expand access to pools and transportation to swimming lessons will help more New Yorkers across the state to “Get Offline, Get Outside.”

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.