Brian Lerer on WNYC, now we will step outside and head to New York City's parks, pools, and beaches

as we approach another extremely hot day with temperatures set to hit the mid-90s,

I'm sure many of you are considering where you're going to go to stay cool if you don't just

stay home in the air conditioning. If you have air conditioning, will you take the train down to

Coney Island or out to the Rockaways and smell the saltwatery air? Or perhaps you'll stay in the

neighborhood and head to your local public pool. Maybe just a walk amongst the trees will offer you

enough shade for comfort. Whatever your plans, I bet you're hoping for short lines, enough

lifeguards to keep you safe and clean facilities. And joining us now is the person responsible for all those things.

She is Sue Donahue, Commissioner of the New York City Parks Department.

Commissioner Donahue, thanks very much for coming on.

Welcome to WNYC today.

Thank you, Brian.

So happy to be here.

So do you want to expand on what I just casually said in the intro and just tell people what some of the options are in the parks today, maybe even some things they may not think about right away when we're getting a sweltering day like this?

Thank you, Brian. Absolutely. You're so right when we have temperatures like we've had over the last couple weeks.

Our parks and open spaces are so vital to people's health and well-being and the livability of the city.

And so you mentioned we have 14 miles of beaches, 50 public pools, 800 spray showers, 5 million trees to keep us cool.

So we have an incredible park system that we know is vital to New Yorkers and to the livability of this city.

So we do work hard every day to make sure that park system is clean and safe and green and resilient for people.

And we encourage people to get out and enjoy it.

Well, on it being safe, we've all been talking about the lifeguard shortage.

I know that you're concerned about that too.

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