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When it comes to beaches, you can never have too much of a good thing. (This is true of both the geological feature as well as the Bette Midler film. Don’t @ me.)
So today’s bit of good news comes courtesy of the city’s Parks Department, which announced today that a popular stretch of Rockaway Beach in Queens will, in fact, be open for a summer of sunnin’, swimmin’ and sandy good times. Rad.
The currently closed beach that will be reopening runs from Beach 96th to Beach 98th and is set to re-open this Saturday, June 30. It was previously closed for an indefinite period of time back in May in order to preserve a protective dune built in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy that contributed to swimmers' safety.
“We know how much New Yorkers love the Rockaways and found a way to make more of the beach available for summer fun,” said Crystal Howard, a spokesperson for the parks department. “Additionally, in working with our concessionaire at the Rockaways, Parks has agreed to expand amenities to the areas east and west of the B97 building.”
Moving forward, the beach’s open times will fluctuate based on high tide. The Department has also offered a fifty percent rent deferment to businesses at the 97th street concession and will allow them to host live music earlier, beginning at 1pm.
Want to head to the newly open sandy strip to celebrate the reopening? Try hitching a ride on one of the NYC Ferries, which will be providing $2.75 rides between Wall Street and the Rockaways for the second year this summer.
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