Situated between 106th and 108th Streets in mid-park, nestled between loops of the park drive, you’ll find Lasker Rink and Pool. It was constructed in the late 1960’s, made possible by a contribution by the extremely philanthropic (and wealthy) Lasker sisters. While they clearly had the best of intentions, and there is no doubt that the facilities have provided a wonderful boon to the community, the project itself was fought over bitterly for years. It displaced a corner of The Meer and was therefore seen by park purists to be nothing short of desecration. While we may thank the vigilance of concerned citizens and dedicated commissioners for keeping literally dozens of absurd and inappropriate additions from ever coming to fruition (a racetrack and a housing project being just two examples), it is difficult to get too worked up over this installation. Especially if you are close enough to hear the happy screams of landlocked city children splashing about on a hot summer day.

Location: Mid-Park between 106th and 108th Streets 

Phone: (212-534-7639)

Pool Details
Olympic Pool
This is an Accessible Pool – Dimensions: 240 ‘x 190′ x 3.75’

Wading Pool
Dimensions: 63.5′ x 14.5′ x 1.25′

Pool Hours
Outdoor pool hours are from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. daily, with a break for pool cleaning between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Early bird and night owl lap swim hours are also available at select sites. Outdoor pools (except mini pools) will close for the season on Sunday, September 8, 2019.

Know Before You Go
What to Bring
Make sure you have a sturdy combination lock when you head out to the pool. It will keep your valuables safe, and let you hit the water feeling more secure about your belongings.

What Not to Bring
You’ll need to leave food, glass bottles, electronic devices, and newspapers at home. Unbound periodicals tend to blow around and create litter, food can be messy to clean up after, and there’s too much water around to make sure your electronics stay safe. Just to be on the safe side, we also recommend leaving valuables like jewelry and credit cards at home.

What to Wear
You’ll need to have a swimsuit to enter the pool area. We may choose to check men’s shorts for a lining if we can’t tell if they are wearing a bathing suit. Feel the need to cover up from the sun? Throw on a plain white shirt or white hat and you’re set. We don’t allow shirts with colors on them on the deck.

For the Kids
Thinking of bringing floaties? It’s safer to leave them at home and just stay in the shallow end of the pool until everyone learns to swim. Want to venture deeper? Try some of our free swimming classes.

Get more info at NYCParks.Org