March 7, 2023 By Michael Dorgan
The NYC Parks Dept. will discuss its $19 million revamp of the Astoria Pool via a public online meeting Wednesday, March 8.
The agency will present its plans at the meeting while residents will also get a chance to ask questions about the project which is already in construction.
The virtual gathering will kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Facebook Live and YouTube, organizers said. The meeting is being organized by the Old Astoria Neighborhood Association (OANA) a non-profit group that aims to educate residents about important community matters.
The Astoria Pool, located between 19th Street and 23rd Drive in Astoria Park, is currently undergoing repair work since many of the pool’s features have reached the end of their service life. The pool first opened in 1936.
The Parks Department said it is carrying out repairs to the pool tub and its mechanical systems. A new liner is also being installed in the pool’s shell.
The Parks Department said they are also replacing the gutter and deck. There will also be new systems for filtration/recirculation, backwash, chemical treatment and HVAC (electrical and heating, ventilation and air conditioning).
The agency aims to reopen in the summer of 2024, although the agency said the spray shower area on the pool’s north end would remain open so families could cool off during hot summer days.
OANA said it is eager to see the project finish on time so the public can enjoy the pool next summer.
“The pool is too important to everyone,” the organization wrote on its website.
“Our seniors need a place to meet and have much-needed exercise, have group events, and cool down while staying within their budgets. Also, our youth, also need a place to hang out and keep busy on hot summer days.”
The meeting will also feature Deputy Inspector Kenneth Gorman from the 114th Precinct who will give an update on public safety while representatives from the NYC Small Business Services Queens Economic Development Corp will talk about small businesses in the neighborhood.
Residents looking to watch or take part in the meeting can do so by clicking here.