New York Gets Beaches, NYC Gets 'Misting Oases'

NEW YORK CITY — As Long Islanders dive into the surf of New York state's public beaches, hot New York City dwellers will be spritzed and misted in parks and arenas.

The same day Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced New York’s state-controlled beaches will open in time for Memorial Day weekend — de Blasio confirmed city beaches will stay shut and offered New Yorkers socially distanced cooling centers instead.

"What our Parks Department will do is create misting oasis," de Blasio said. "I think that's a beautiful phrase – that misting oasis and spray showers."

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Cuomo's plan allows state beaches to open May 22 with restrictions that include capping capacity at 50 percent, closing concessions and banning group contact.

Beaches in Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey will also open, which Cuomo explained was why he decided to do the same.

“If other states were opening and New York wasn’t you would have millions of people from New York flooding those beaches," Cuomo said. "That wouldn’t help anyone.”

Meanwhile, de Blasio stood firm on keeping New York City's beaches closed, saying Friday patrols would guard Rockaways, Coney Island and Orchard Beach to make sure New Yorkers don’t try to sneak in a swim.

"It's painful, because we would all love to be able to go to the beach with the hot weather," de Blasio said. "But it's not safe yet."

Instead, de Blasio offered New Yorkers a plan to open fire hydrants, misting centers in public parks and large cooling centers set up in sports arenas, auditoriums and gyms.

Cooling center-bound New Yorkers will be asked to wear face coverings and social distance, but de Blasio assured them they might still have a good time.

"If people going to be there all day, especially if it's days in a row, we want to make sure there's programming and things for people that do," de Blasio said. "We want good things to keep those kids entertained, but that are also safe."

But critics say de Blasio's plan to keep pools and beaches closed is anything but safe, arguing New Yorkers will still be diving into the waters, only without lifeguards on duty.

"Unless you've got soldiers with machine guns standing outside NYC beaches, people WILL go to the beaches this summer," tweeted City Council member Justin Brannan. "It's about having a plan to mitigate disaster."

And Long Island lawmakers raised concerns about desperate city dwellers flocking east to overcrowd the beaches opened by Cuomo.

"Really glad beaches can be open next weekend BUT if NYC beaches are closed, it will create a chaotic and untenable situation on Long Island," wrote New York state Senator Todd Kaminsky.

"For the good and health of all New Yorkers, the City MUST open their beaches for Memorial Day weekend."

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