Hempstead Village getting nearly $10M from NY grant pool for swimming initiatives

Hempstead Village will receive nearly $10 million from the state, one of 37 municipalities across New York getting a total of almost $150 million in grants to enhance swimming initiatives in underserved communities, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.

The village was awarded $9,990,280 to renovate the Kennedy Memorial Park Pool facilities, including replacing the bathhouse, concession building, main pool and filtration system. Additionally, the wading pool will be replaced with a spray pad and a new concrete deck, and new walkways will be installed to improve accessibility.

"We definitely welcome the grant opportunity and we’re excited about it," Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. said in an interview. "Our pool has had issues for many years. ... If we didn’t have the [grant] funding it would fall on the backs of our residents, our taxpayers. It’s a huge savings for our residents."

Hobbs added that the grant will enable the village to enhance its swimming lesson programs.

"We already have in place a swim coach that teaches every summer swimming lessons."

He said the state funding that will allow the village to improve its pool facilities will also enable it to expand its swimming programs.

"It's important to teach our young people how to swim," Hobbs said.

The "capital grants" Hochul announced are part of the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming initiative, called NY SWIMS.

"Every region of the state will soon have new public pools to help provide New York families with safe ways to learn how to swim," Hochul said in a statement. She added there was a "clear need and demand" for access to swimming facilities. She cited statistics saying drowning was the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4. And she pointed to "extreme heat events" resulting from climate change.

"NY SWIMS is providing needed resources to build out municipal pools in high-need areas, connect New Yorkers to the state's rivers and lakes, and invest in state parks and pools" and promote swim safety initiatives, such as increasing lifeguards and swimming instruction, Hochul's office said.

In addition to municipalities receiving grants, the governor announced that nearly $700,000 was awarded to 12 campuses of the State University of New York to make SUNY pools "community anchors," including at Nassau Community College.

"NCC is thrilled to have been selected to participate in the NY SWIMS initiative. Our athletic and swimming facilities serve our community well, but thanks to this grant, we are able to expand those services to provide free swim lessons and lifeguard training to interested Nassau County residents," college spokesman Jerry Kornbluth said in an email to Newsday. "Applications and registration for these classes will be made available in the upcoming months. We look forward to continuing to provide opportunities on campus that the entire community will enjoy."

By Olivia Winslow

olivia.winslow@newsday.com@newsollie