Beachgoers are now greeted in Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Traditional Chinese, Cape Verdean Creole, Russian and Arabic.

The stickers will also be placed on welcome signs at all 81 DCR coastal and inland waterways, officials said.

The additions are intended to improve access and inclusivity, officials said.

“As our summers get hotter, it's important that all of our residents and families have access to and feel welcome on our shores. And something as simple as signage goes a long way toward that,” said DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo. “We want everyone to be able to enjoy our beautiful beaches, regardless of the language spoken.”

DCR also plans to create new beach and pool rules that are easier to understand, officials said. The guidelines include swimming only in designated areas and not drinking alcohol. This summer, in addition to the English signs, there will be physical versions in Spanish as well as QR codes that translate the signs into eight other languages, officials said.

DCR previously added scannable QR codes to four existing water safety signs that translate policies into all nine languages. These policies include no swimming, no lifeguards on duty, life buoys, and water quality signs.

This initiative has been in the works for at least a year. MBC began examining its work “from a racial justice and equity perspective” in 2021, and multilingual signage was the focus of a 2023 report, officials said.

DCR is also updating signs for the agency's 24 swimming pools, which will then be available via QR codes in Spanish and eight other languages. This year, the agency also recruited and hired multilingual lifeguards and water safety personnel to work at DCR's shores and swimming pools, officials said.

“Being greeted in your native language upon arrival is important to reinforce the sense of ownership and belonging we should all have for these amazing beaches,” said State Rep. Adrian Madaro, co-chair of the MBC.

You can reach Sabrina Lam at [email protected].