With temperatures registering near 100, only half of Jacksonville's 34 municipal pools were open this year, the result of maintenance problems and a shortage of lifeguards.
But that is about to change, the city says. Five more pools are scheduled to open by mid-July:
- Emmett Reed Community Center, Gymnasium and Park at 1093 W. Sixth St.
- Terry Parker Pool And Park at 7301 Parker school Road in Arlington.
- Baldwin Middle/Senior High School at 345 Chestnut St.
- San Souci Pool at Adolph Wurn Park at 2115 Dean Road.
- Robert F. Kennedy Community Center and pool at 1133 Ionia St.
Trouble is, there won't be a lot of swim time left. All city pools are scheduled to halt weekday hours Aug. 6, as Duval County schools reopen on Aug. 15. Outdoor pools do stay open through Labor Day, but only on weekends, the city says.
New Mayor Donna Deegan met Thursday with Parks and Recreation Director Daryl Joseph to discuss short- and long-term solutions, city spokesman Phil Perry said.
For the short term, Perry said the mayor is looking at partnerships with nonprofit agencies that would make use of more community pools that are open. The city also is looking at ways to work with nonprofits to transport children to those pools, if the one closest to them isn't open.
Next year, the city plans to add $500,000 to the pool budget for maintenance, look at lifeguard salaries to make them more competitive and plan a marketing campaign to recruit lifeguards well ahead of the 2024 summer, Perry said in an email Friday.
Outdoor pools are open 1 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays, according to the city.
For anyone interested in working as a city pool lifeguard, the starting salary is $14 an hour. For more information, call (904) 255-6777 or (904) 255-4271, or email bealifeguard@coj.net.
