Mayor Bill de Blasio: “Tomorrow the Beach is Open All Over the City. Is Everybody Ready?”

h. nazan ışık—

25 May 2018—

“I want to welcome everyone, welcome to Coney Island. And tomorrow the beach is open all over the city. Is everybody ready?” said Mayor Bill de Blasio who delivered remarks on Friday at Coney Island Boardwalk to celebrate opening weekend for New York City’s beaches.

It wasn’t the only announcement that Mayor Bill de Blasio made.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver also celebrated the designation of the Coney Island (Riegelmann) Boardwalk as a scenic landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Photo: © h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN

“Welcome to the unofficial start of summer in New York City. First I want to say happy 95th Anniversary to the newly landmarked Coney Island Boardwalk” said Commissioner Mitchell Silver, and continued on the importance of lifeguards: “As long as I can remember there was not one drowning when a lifeguard was on duty. Our lifeguards are here to protect us. So be sure to follow their directions, and do not go in the water unless a lifeguard is on duty. They’re there for a reason; they let us know when it’s safe to swim, and not to swim.

“And while we’re talking about the sun, for the second year in the row we are partnered with IMPACT Melanoma, and Bright Guard to provide free sun screen to beach goers.”

Mayor de Blasio:“I got a really simple message for everyone today. On behalf of 8.6 million New Yorkers I say it’s time to go to the beach everybody.”

The City’s eight public beaches open for the season on Saturday, May 26, and remain open through Sunday, September 9, Labor Day Weekend. Lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; swimming is prohibited at all other times.

After delivering remarks Mayor de Blasio went to Nathan to get hotdogs and sat on a bench to enjoy it.

The Health Department also offers a texting service in English and Spanish where people can get real-time alerts on beach water quality advisories and closures for the eight public beaches in New York City. People can simply text BEACH or PLAYA to 877-877 to find out if one or all of the City’s public beaches are safe for swimming. With over 15 miles of public and private beaches accessible to New Yorkers, this texting service will help ensure that everyone’s trip to the beach is a safe and healthy one.