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BOSTON - Saturday,
July 3, 2021 - Mayor Janey today announced the City of Boston’s two
outdoor pools, the BCYF Clougherty Pool in Charlestown and the BCYF Mirabella Pool in the North End are open for the summer
season. Several indoor pools operated by Boston Centers for Youth &
Families (BCYF) are also open for residents looking to cool off.
Locations and hours of operation of the pools can be found at Boston.gov/BCYF-Aquatics.
“It’s important
that our residents can access cooling options in our neighborhoods
throughout the summer,” said Mayor Janey. “We are looking forward to
welcoming more people back to our pools along with offering an expanded
menu of summer programming and activities for young people at the
community centers.”
Due to the
state-wide lifeguard shortage, hours of operation at all BCYF pools will
be reduced until all vacancies are filled. For everyone’s safety, several
protocols are in place at BCYF pools heading into the summer
season:
·
Visitors
must register for a swim time slot at Boston.gov/BCYF-Registration.
·
Registration
will go live 24 hours before the following day’s sessions and will remain
open until all spots are taken or until the session is half over,
whichever comes first.
·
When
registering for a session, visitors will be asked COVID-19 screening
questions.
·
Sessions
at the outdoor pools will be one hour and 45 minutes and visitors are
asked to register for and attend no more than one session per day.
·
Preference
will be given to Boston residents.
·
Face
coverings (covering the nose and mouth) are recommended for people who
are not vaccinated while outdoors. Everyone must wear face coverings
while indoors and not in the water.
·
Swimming
lessons, which would require close physical contact, will not be offered
this summer.
·
Social
distancing of at least 3 feet is required for all individuals outside of
a household. group and applies to deck areas, bathrooms, wading areas,
the water and the pool deck.
·
Children
under 8 need an adult in the water with them.
·
Three
children under 12 are allowed per adult.
·
All
pools will be staffed by trained lifeguards.
When near water
there are several things to keep in mind to keep you and your family
safe:
·
Always
watch children near any body of water. Make sure to swim in the
designated areas and know where the lifeguards are present.
·
Swim
near a lifeguard and never swim alone.
·
Learn
the basics of swimming. If you don’t already know how to swim, contact a
local pool to get a proper lesson. BCYF will resume offering swim lessons
in the fall.
·
Obey
"No Diving" signs and do not dive into shallow water.
·
Make
sure children wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket when boating,
water skiing, rafting, fishing or swimming. Life jackets should be
appropriate for your weight, size and the water activity.
·
Know
before you go: Whether it's a lake, river or the ocean, check the weather
conditions before you head out onto the water. And pay attention to any advisories
that pop up while you're out. If you spot bad weather, get on dry land
and head inside.
·
Watch
out for strong currents, rip currents or dangerous waves. Currents are
unpredictable near piers, jetties, small dams and docks. If it is hard to
move around, head to shore.
·
Look
for signs and flags to keep you safe.
·
Alcohol
and water don't mix.
BCYF is also
operating programming for registered youth at community centers across
the city this summer. Learn more about BCYF’s programming at Boston.gov/BCYF. These programs are in addition to a
variety of expanded BCYF programming for teens and over 600 youth jobs through the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program. BCYF community centers will also
continue to distribute meals to youth throughout the summer. The complete
list of meal locations can be found at Boston.gov/departments/food-access. | 
