Demanding Year-Round Community Access to 60th Street Rec Center

In response to the revelation of plans by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to house the City’s Municipal Lifeguard Training Program (MLTP) in the Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center on West 60th Street, I joined CB7 and other elected officials in calling on DPR to ensure ample and convenient year-round community access to this newly renovated public amenity.  Without any community input, the agency developed plans for the MLTP to occupy the pool, the teen room and other crucial facility spaces for much of spring and summer, rendering those spaces inaccessible to the public.  I and my colleagues are outraged by DPR’s lack of transparency and disregard for the immense public and private investment by area stakeholders that made the center’s renovation possible.  We will continue to work with the City to find an equitable solution that satisfies the needs and expectations of the community.