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Recreation center memberships — Total
Provide recreational and educational opportunities for New Yorkers of all ages. — Increase public attendance at educational programs, recreation centers, and other venues.
Recreation center memberships climbed steadily through this period as centers recovered from pandemic-related closures. NYC Parks' own FY25 report notes memberships that year "surpass[ed] the membership levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic," with particular growth among young adults, who can join for free -- consistent with FY22's relatively low starting point reflecting an incomplete post-pandemic rebound.
Researched July 16, 2026 — NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
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| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 100,385 memberships |
| FY23 | 117,116 memberships |
| FY24 | 141,486 memberships |
| FY25 | 156,078 memberships |
| FY26 (YTD) | 162,269 memberships |
Why this is tracked
As New York's population surged in the 19th century and cholera and typhoid spread through crowded tenement neighborhoods, the state mandated free public bathhouses in large cities starting in 1895; by 1911, twelve had opened in Manhattan alone. In the 1930s, the Parks Department took over these bathhouses and, using Works Progress Administration labor, built eleven large outdoor pools that all opened within weeks of each other in summer 1936. That legacy continues today: the Department operates dozens of outdoor and indoor pools that are free or low-cost, alongside recreation centers offering programs for children, seniors, and people with disabilities, with a 2024 initiative committing over $1 billion to modernize aging pool infrastructure.
History of Parks' Swimming Pools - NYC Parks, History of Recreation in Parks - NYC Parks, Mayor Adams Launches Let's Swim NYC
Source: Public Programs — via NYC Open Data: Mayor's Management Report, Agency Performance Indicators
Coverage shown: FY22–FY26, reported monthly.
Definition: The total number of active memberships as of the end of the reporting period. This includes all senior, adult, youth and young adult, persons with disabilities, and veteran memberships.