Lifeguard Shortage Limits Chicago Pool Openings To 'Select' Locations

CHICAGO — After hoping a delay in the opening of public pools would attract more lifeguards, the Chicago Park District has announced that select pools will open next week a national lifeguard shortage continues.

Park District officials said Tuesday that only 22 of Chicago’s outdoor 49 pools and 15 of 28 indoor pools to open on July 5 based on “a number of factors” including securing only about 55 percent of the targeted qualified lifeguards that the city was hoping to hire.

The park district was offering a $600 sign-on bonus and had lifted residency requirements with hopes of attracting lifeguards to the pools.

Pools across the city were slated to open last week, but the park district pushed the opening back until July 5 due to the shortage. Officials said that they would re-evaluate their plan after seeing how many hires were made. The city has made public beaches a priority over pools. On Tuesday, the city said the plan is to make sure that city residents have as many safe pools as possible within a two-mile radius of their homes.

“Despite the many challenges we’ve faced hiring lifeguards, including the national shortage, we have not given up and remain committed to a pool opening plan rooted in safety first,” Park District General Superintendent Rosa Escareño said in a news release. “Neighborhood pools are incredibly valuable resources for our residents and families, providing recreation and relief from the summer heat. This plan allows us to maximize our limited workforce to open as many pools as possible so that families across the city have access to and can enjoy neighborhood pools this summer as well as the beaches.”

The Park District said Tuesday it selected a combination of indoor and outdoor pools based on several factors including, but not limited to, geographical location, staffing requirements and availability, the condition of the pool, historical usage, pool capacity, and access to public transportation and safety considerations.

The Park District said it plans to open four larger pools at Portage Park, Humboldt Park, McKinley Park, and Norwood Park to accommodate more visitors, the release said The remaining pool locations will be small to mid-size pools to ensure equitable access across the city.

The Park District will also limit access to small, underutilized portions of North Avenue Beach and Calumet Beach to divert lifeguards to neighborhood pools.

Here is a list of pools that will open on July 5

• Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St. in Austin
• Avalon Park, 1215 E. 83rd St. in the Avalon
• Avondale Park, 3516 W. School St. in Avondale
• Blackhawk Park, 2318 N. Lavergne Ave. in Belmont Cragin
• California Park, 3843 N. California Ave. in Irving Park
• Carver Park, 939 E. 132nd St. in Riverdale
• Chase Park, 4701 n. Ashland Ave. in Uptown
• Davis Square, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave. in New City
• Douglass, 1401 S. Sacramento Ave. in North Lawndale
• Eckhart Park, 1330 W. Chicago Ave. in West Town
• Ellis Park, 3520 S. Cottage Grove Ave. in Douglas
• Fernwood Park, 10436 S. Wallace Ave. in Roseland
• Fosco Park, 1312 S. Racine Ave. in Near West
• Foster Park, 1440 W. 84th St. in Auburn Gresham
• Gompers Park, 4222 W. Foster Ave in North Park
• Hale Park, 6258 W. 62nd St. in Clearing
• Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72nd St. in Englewood
• Hayes Park, 2936 W. 85th St. in Ashburn
• Holstein Park, 2200 N. Oakley Ave. in Logan Square
• Homan Square Park, 3559 W. Arthington in North Lawndale
• Humboldt Park, 1400 N. Humboldt Blvd. in Humboldt Park
• Kennedy Park, 11320 S. Western Ave. in Morgan Park
• Lafollette Park, 1333 N. Laramie Ave. in Austin
• Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave. in West Englewood
• Mann Park, 3035 E. 130th St. in Hegewisch
• McGuane Park, 2901 S. Poplar Ave. in Bridgeport
• McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd. in McKinley Park
• Nash Community Center Park, 1833 E. 71st St. in South Shore
• Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave. in Norwood Park
• Ogden Park, 6500 S. Racine Ave. in West Englewood
• Piotrowski Park, 4247 W. 31st St. in South Lawndale
• Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave. in Portage Park
• Pulaski Park, 1419 W. Blackhawk St. in West Town
• River Park, 5100 N. Francisco Ave. in Albany Park
• Shabbona Park, 6935 W. Addison Ave. in Dunning
• Taylor Park, 39 W. 47th St.in Grand Boulevard
• Trumbull Park, 2400 E. 105th St. in South Deering

In addition, due to ongoing construction, swimming at 12th Street Beach will be prohibited detailing the additional staff to be assigned to pools in communities citywide, the release said. Reducing the footprint of North Avenue Beach, at the northern section of the beach, just south of Fullerton Avenue, and the small beach at Calumet Park, just north of the Coast Guard station, will lessen the number of lifeguards needed on the lakefront.

This measure will allow 23 to 25 guards to be assigned to pools in areas further from the lakefront, officials said.

Most pools will be open to the public five days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 pm. Days of operation will be determined by park hours and staff capacity. Residents should visit the District’s website or contact the park for pool hours. A total of 21 beaches will remain available for swimming daily through Labor Day from 11 a.m. to 7 pm.

The Chicago Park District is continuing to actively recruit residents ages 16 and older, to fill seasonal lifeguard positions. These positions are vital to fully staffing and keeping the city’s beaches and park pools safe.

The hourly wage for lifeguards is $15.88/hour without the $600 bonus. Seasonal Lifeguards must be 16 years of age, fully vaccinated, pass specific skill tests, and be properly certified. For more information on summer job opportunities in the parks, including Seasonal Lifeguard, check out the District’s Seasonal Jobs Flyer.

The Park District’s $600 retention bonus for all new hires and returning seasonal and year-round lifeguards would raise the average current wage to an equivalent of $17.08 per hour.