All town pools and spray parks will remain closed the rest of the year, Huntington Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci said Wednesday. Huntington and the towns of Babylon, Brookhaven, Islip and Smithtown all agreed to the closures because the coronavirus continues to spread.
“After much consideration, we unfortunately do not believe that we can make our pools and spray parks available this summer in a manner that is safe for both our residents and employees,” the supervisors said in the joint announcement. “It breaks our heart to make this announcement, knowing how much our residents love these facilities and rely on them to cool off in the hot summer months. It was a difficult decision but one that we feel is in the best interest of protecting public health, which is our utmost priority as we continue to battle COVID-19.”
While the Dix Hills Pool at Dix Hills Park and the Sgt. Paul Tuozzolo Memorial Spray Park at Elwood Park will remain closed, town parks and beaches will be open.
Residents are asked to follow social distancing guidelines when visiting and comply with COVID-19 specific rules, such as wearing face coverings in common areas. Visit huntingtonny.gov/covid19#parks for guidelines.
Earlier this week, online-only registration started for pre-school and youth swimming lessons at West Neck Beach and Asharoken Beach, while classes for adults, yoga on the beach at Crescent Beach and Tai Chi at Gold Star Battalion Beach, also started taking online-only registrations. Register for classes at https://www.tohparks.net.
“This summer will be different than others but we are doing what we can to preserve as much of a normal summer as possible. I encourage our residents to visit our beautiful beaches, follow the safety guidelines and stay healthy,” Lupinacci said.