Lifeguards At Atwater Park: Village Board Approves 2022 Contract

SHOREWOOD, WI — The Village Board approved a contract at its meeting Tuesday that would continue lifeguard services at Atwater Park in 2022.

A contract was awarded to Lakefront Lifeguard Services, LLC. The Village will pay the company up to $22,700 to conduct daily support for lifeguard staff from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Services would begin June 25 and run until late August, according to the contract.

A $4000 payment to the provider for administrative support and management was also approved as part of the contract.

The company will have to hire and train lifeguards to ensure water safety rules are followed at the beach and to perform rescue work and first aid when necessary, the contract says. The Village will be required to pay for insurance costs, which was estimated in Tuesday's meeting to be about $9000 for the year, similar to what costs were in 2021.

The approval comes after long discussions on how Shorewood can maintain lifeguard staffing at Atwater Park. Lifeguards were not present at the park from 2004 to 2011.

From 2012 to 2016, Milwaukee County provided lifeguard services, but that was ended in 2017 because the county couldn't find enough lifeguards.

From 2019 to 2021, Coastline Services LLC provided lifeguard services. Alongside the new contract awarded to Lakefront Lifeguard Services on Tuesday, the village will also pay Coastline Services up to $5000 to consult the new provider throughout 2022, according to village meeting documents.