Thursday, October 1, 2026
Long Beach will decide by Wednesday whether to open the beaches for Memorial Day Weekend. City Council president John Bendo said Sunday.
Long Beach is in a difficult position. Mayor Bill de Blasio said NYC beaches will not be open for the holidays weekend. This could mean NYC residents will crowd onto Long Beach beaches, making social distancing more difficult. De Blasio said he did not think the time was right to open up the beaches in Rockaway Park, just west of Long Beach, or beaches elsewhere in the city.
Bendo said in a message to residents that Long Beach officials are asking de Blasio to reconsider his position.
"While we are confident in the protocols we are putting in place, we also need to be sure we’re able to properly staff up in time," Bendo said in his message.
"As you can imagine, activating an entire beach workforce in just one week’s time is extremely challenging. We are also concerned about the impact New York City’s decision to not open beaches may have on us. We’re in close contact with our counterparts in the Rockaways and elsewhere, but strongly urge Mayor de Blasio to reconsider his decision, as having New York City beaches closed will certainly adversely impact those beach communities that choose to open.
Bendo said seasonal beaches passes will go on sale starting Monday at the Gazebo and Beach Park trailer, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
Long Beach has had a large number of coronavirus cases, 716 as of Saturday, one of the larger number of cases in Nassau County. The city closed the Boardwalk in late March after people continue to congregate there, ignoring social distancing.
