Hundreds stuck waiting for reopened Astoria Pool that Mayor Adams just deemed a success

Mayor Eric Adams hailed the reopening of the grand Astoria Pool on Thursday morning — but hours later, hundreds of New Yorkers were stuck waiting in line outside due to an ongoing shortage of lifeguards.

Locals eager to cool off at one of the city’s premier public swimming holes voiced outrage at still being denied access after the pool was closed last summer for a $19 million renovation.

“This is not typical. We normally just go straight in,” said Marivel Gallupa, an Astoria resident who was stuck in the line outside the pool. “We missed it so much.”

Adams held a press conference in the morning to commemorate the opening, but by 12:30 p.m. roughly half of the Olympic-sized pool was closed off and parks department officials were restricting entry to the water. Several lifeguard chairs remained empty adjacent to the roped-off sections. The problem comes as the city enters another season with a shortage of lifeguards that threatens to reduce access to the city’s 50 outdoor public pools and its miles of beaches — during what's already shaping up to be a blistering summer.

Only two areas of the pool were open to lap swim and families.

“I’m happy to be back,” said Lucas Charles, who stepped away from the line to take a look at the water. “But I wish they would open up all of the sections.”

“It’s been very slow pacing with letting people in,” he added.

City Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue was among parks staff and swimmers who got to take an early dip in the pool during the mayor’s morning press conference. She said the parks department currently employs 600 lifeguards — far short of the 1,000 officials say they need to fully staff all the city’s pools and beaches.

"We are doing everything in our power to hire more lifeguards," Mayor Adams said during the press conference, while standing in front of a sign that read "Summer of Possibility."

"It was so important for us to really focus on how we address the issues of our lifeguard shortages," he added. "That is why we are doing everything in our power to hire more lifeguards."

Jose Arroyo, who waited outside, said the capacity restrictions caused by the lifeguard shortage weren’t the only reason people were forced to wait in line. He said locals turned out in bigger numbers Thursday because they were eager to return after “it’s been closed for like two years.”

“All in all I just hope everyone has a good, fun, relaxed day,” Arroyo added.

Police officers and parks enforcement staff checked for prohibited items. Bathers are required to lock their belongings away and may not bring cellphones and other items like flotation devices and newspapers near the water.

The pool, which is the largest in the city, was built in 1936 under the direction of former Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. It's designed to accommodate thousands of swimmers, according to the parks department website.

“It’s clean, it’s very nice,” said Alexandra Cadle who lives in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, but regularly schleps to the Astoria Pool. “Every pool in New York should be like this pool.”

Several other city pools were closed off entirely on Thursday, including Faber Pool and General Douglas Mini Pool on Staten Island; Marcus Garvey Pool in Harlem; the Windmuller Mini Pool in Queens and the PS 20 Playground Mini Pool in Brooklyn.

This story was updated with comments from Mayor Eric Adams.