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Some exciting news, courtesy of Gothamist: the outlet reports that Brooklyn design firm Local Office Landscape and Urban Design is in "early negotiations" to build an indoor wave pool in Far Rockaway, Queens.
Although likely open to all, the $30 million venture intends to educate area residents and provide swimming access to the younger demographic.
“It's going to be about ocean safety because the majority of the drownings in Rockaway are not visitors, they're actually local residents and usually people of color,” the design firm's founder Walter Meyer said to Gothamist, noting that the poverty rate in the neighborhood is over 20%. “We want to reduce drownings.”
To do so, Meyer hopes to offer free surfing and safety lessons.
The exact location of the development has not yet been announced, although Lou Harris, founder of the Black Surfing Association’s East Coast chapter, who is also working on the project, revealed that “it’s in the hood” and that it’s as big as a football field.
The private initiative comes at an opportune time: Mayor Eric Adams' administration has made its dedication to equitable swimming access very clear.
Back in September of 2023, the New York City Council passed a comprehensive legislative package aimed at improving water safety programs across the city while also expanding access to public pools.
As part of the new laws, the city now offers second graders free swimming lessons.
Also, just a few weeks ago, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Adams announced that, after a decade of talks, the much-discussed floating pool that’s shaped like a plus sign will open to the public on one of the city’s waterways in 2025.
A “demonstration” of the self-filtering pool will debut this summer in the East River for a testing period. If successful, it will be accessible all the year after.
Consider this upcoming summer the ideal season to perfect your freestyle stroke, courtesy of NYC!