Gov. Cuomo gives local governments authority to open pools and playgrounds

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that local governments in New York will be able to determine when pools and playgrounds should be able to open.

News 12 Staff

Jun 11, 2020, 9:29 PM

Updated 1,658 days ago

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that local governments in New York will be able to determine when pools and playgrounds should be able to open.
The governor urged elected leaders to use good judgment and the data available to them before making their decisions.
Supervisor Joe Saladino says that Oyster Bay Town parks and playgrounds will be reopened to the public starting tomorrow.
"We're going through special training with our staff, so they can ensure the safety of all of our residents,” he told News 12.
In Smithtown, officials say parks and playgrounds are expected to reopen on June 13. No decision has been made if or when the town pool would open.
Town pools in Oyster Bay and Babylon as well as parks and playgrounds in Babylon are slated to reopen on July 3.
Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer says certain aspects of reopening must be in place, including lifeguards and people who are trained to deal with the public – especially someone who may not want to put on a mask.
"We'll all have a little time to put together guidance of our own as to how each facility can be set up," he says.
Southold officials say they hope to have public playgrounds open “soon” but did not commit to a date.
The remaining towns were either undecided on when to start those reopenings or did not call News 12 back.