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Chicago Tribune
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: As temps rise into the 90s, Chicago public pools are fully reopened — finally
Summer got off to a slow, cool start, but the heat has arrived — with temperatures projected to hit the 90s this weekend and UV levels soaring. For many Chicagoans, that means one thing: Pool season is officially here. While many suburban park districts resumed full pool schedules much sooner, Chicago is only now restoring seven-day-a-week access at its public pools. Starting Saturday, all 50 outdoor pools will be open every day for the first time since the pandemic, and 27 indoor pools will also be accessible six days a week, the Park District announced Monday. This is fantastic news for parents and kids who can now get in plenty of cannonball practice, as well as the Chicagoans who enjoy swimming a few laps out of doors. In 2020, all outdoor pools were completely closed because of the pandemic. In 2021 and 2022, the pools reopened but with reduced capacity, fewer hours, fewer days and a shorter season. Even in 2023 and last year, pools often remained open only five or six days a week. The city says this was due to lifeguard staffing shortages, something many other cities have faced in recent years. Other major metros including New York City and Houston have also struggled to hire sufficient staff to meet demand. For our part, we can't help viewing the slow-walk back to aquatic normalcy as a symbol of just how long it's taken for Chicago to get over COVID. To address past lifeguard shortages and build a stronger pipeline, the Chicago Park District launched several recruitment initiatives in late 2023, including the Lifeguard Explorers Training Program targeting teens and young adults on the South and West sides, with stipends and free certification. The district also raised pay to $19.75 per hour, eliminated certification fees and other red tape, held teen job fairs with on-the-spot interviews, and partnered with schools and nonprofits to promote lifeguard training and employment opportunities. As a result, the district received over 3,000 applications — 55% more than in 2024 — and enters summer 2025 with a fully staffed aquatics team. This is the kind of creative thinking we like to see out of our government agencies. And it's a good thing for our spirits too — open pools are a visible, tangible way to see your tax dollars at work. And while we often grumble here about taxes and spending, we believe people are willing to pay a reasonable and fair amount if they're getting services they value in exchange. And so we have to applaud some good news out of the Park District, which has not only limited its service over the past several years, but has also been the focus of unsettling sexual harassment stories. In 2021, the Park District's interim inspector general wrote in a report that the investigation into the Park District uncovered multiple locations where the aquatics department had 'long-tolerated hazing behavior fostered an environment where bullying, harassing and sexual misconduct flourished and went unchallenged.' It's clear the Park District's pool issues extend well beyond a generic staffing problem — it faced a significant culture problem too — one we trust is now resolved. Fully reopened pools aren't just a relief in the heat — they're a sign of a city finally reclaiming its rhythm. Let's hope the Park District keeps the momentum going, not just in lifeguard hiring, but in restoring public trust.
Chicago Tribune
17-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago's public pools to open daily this summer for first time since COVID-19 pandemic
Chicago's outdoor public pools will be open daily this summer, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic led to a lingering lifeguard shortage. The seven-day-a-week schedule for 50 pools begins Saturday, just as a sweltering heat wave is forecasted to blanket the city. Twenty-seven indoor pools will also be accessible six days a week, the Park District announced Monday. The city has struggled with lifeguard shortages for years post-pandemic, prompting the closure of dozens of pools and several beaches. Others operated on limited hours or shortened seasons — last year, Chicago's outdoor pools were only open six days a week. Cities nationwide have grappled with similar staffing challenges, attributed in part to the residual effects of COVID-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions. But the Park District said its lifeguard recruitment efforts led to 3,000 applications this season, up 55% from 2024. Officials launched several initiatives to combat the shortage in late 2023, including the Lifeguard Explorers Training Program. The program targeted pools in the South and West sides, offering 15- to 22-year-olds a $475 stipend to prepare for the city's Lifeguard Swim Test. The salary for lifeguards was also increased to $19.75 an hour from $19 in 2024. Other initiatives included covering the cost of certification fees and collaborating with local schools to boost recruitment, the Park District said. 'Chicagoans can rely on parks to provide access to a vital resource during the hot summer months, while offering hundreds of lifeguards an important job in public service that equips them with strong work experience and essential lifesaving skills,' Park District Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said in a statement. Most pool hours will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., but residents are encouraged to check specific swim schedules at their local parks. More than 200 water spray features and water playgrounds will also be fully activated across the city by this weekend. Humboldt Park Beach, the city's only man-made inland beach, is slated to open Saturday. The city's 22 lakefront beaches opened May 23 and will remain accessible to visitors through Labor Day.
