A major initiative of Swim the Apple has been to promote the creation of a
swimming beach on Governors Island. This site is perfectly suited for recreational
swimming, becasue Governors Island has separate storm drain and sewage lines,
and is positioned in New York Harbor so as to receive daily circulation of incoming
tidal water.
Governors Island was closed by the Coast Guard in 1997 in response to a Presidential
mandate to identify recurring savings as part of federal deficit reduction efforts.
The island is now in caretaker status, and under the Balanced Budget Act of
1997 the General Services Administration is directed to sell the site by 2002.
The opening of Governors Island to public use represents the development opportunity
of the millenium for New York.
Swim the Apple has provided testimony regarding the suitability of Governors
Island for beach creation and swimming recreation. Additionally, in collaboration with the Working Waterfront Association, we have organized swimming events at the south end of Governors Island. The current Land Use Study
prepared for the GSA does not include beach development, and Swim the Apple
is working to ensure that this unique opportunity to provide a world class urban
swimming site is not overlooked.
