All of Chicago’s 77 public pools set to open by June 23

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times file

All of Chicago’s 77 public pools will be opened by June 23 after a lifeguard hiring binge by the Chicago Park District. Only half of the pools were opened last summer due to a citywide lifeguard shortage. 

Three-hundred lifeguards are in training as of this week and the district is working on onboarding new lifeguards and summer recreation leaders. 

Andy Walsh, the manager of beaches and pools for the Park District, said the district strengthened its hiring efforts for lifeguards this year.

During the Chicago Park District’s Board of Commissioners meeting, Walsh said the district started recruiting last October, much earlier than usual. As of May 31, over 1,800 people applied for lifeguard positions, compared to 850 applications by the same date last year. 

Their recruitment efforts for lifeguards included partnering with Chicago Public Schools and City College of Chicago for recruiting students, offering incentives including a $600 bonus for completing training, relaxing the residency policy and removing fees for registration and certification. 

“I’m really encouraged by the increase in applicants. What we are doing to better align and collaborate with Chicago Public Schools, I think that is going to continue for the better,” said Myetie Hamilton, the president of the board of commissioners.

The district has started filling pools around the city and the goal is to open every indoor and outdoor pool by June 23. The pools will be opened at least five days a week, Walsh said.

The pools will close for the year on Aug. 20, the day before school starts for Chicago Public Schools. The city’s beaches, which opened in May, will close on Labor Day.