Ten swimming swimming pools operated by the Metropolis of Houston are slated to open Saturday for Memorial Day weekend, and regardless of an ongoing lifeguard scarcity, the parks division is optimistic it could employees extra swimming pools in the course of the summer season.
All however two of town’s 38 swimming pools are operational, in line with Brenda Cabaniss, a spokesperson for the Houston Parks and Recreation Division. However she mentioned Friday that solely 10 shall be staffed from Saturday via Monday, when metropolis swimming pools are opening for the primary time this 12 months.
The division is recruiting lifeguards, together with via its web site. Along with the 40-plus lifeguards at the moment on employees, Cabaniss mentioned greater than 100 others have efficiently submitted functions and practically 70 have been supplied jobs.
“Our hope is to have all 36 swimming pools open,” she mentioned. “That is a fairly good purpose, and I believe we’ll attain it for positive.”
No less than two swimming pools apiece in 4 totally different geographic areas of town shall be open this weekend – from 1-7 p.m. Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday and 1-5 p.m. Monday, in line with a schedule supplied by Cabaniss. Metropolis swimming pools will then shut till June 10, when the parks division will begin its full weekday schedule for the summer season.
Swimming pools on the following parks shall be open this weekend:
Alief Park: 11903 Bellaire Blvd., 281-983-8137
Emancipation Park: 3018 Emancipation Ave., 713-528-1872
Judson Robinson Sr. Park: 1422 Ledwicke St., 713-672-8958
Love Park: 1000 W. 12th St., 713-867-0490
MacGregor Park: 5225 Calhoun Rd., 713-748-0317
Mason Park: 541 South 75th St., 713-928-4826
Northline Park: 6911 Nordling Rd., 713-742-1512
Schwartz Park: 8203 Vogue Ln., 713-973-6310
T.C. Jester Park: 4201 T.C. Jester Blvd., 832-395-7000
Wilson Memorial Park: 100 Gilpin St., 713-948-9051
The parks division has opened solely a portion of its swimming pools throughout current summers due to staffing shortages. In spite of everything metropolis swimming pools had been closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, town operated 10 swimming pools in 2021, 14 in 2022 and 23 in 2023.
The town utilized all of its swimming pools final 12 months, however not on the identical time, as an alternative working them on a rotating foundation. Cabaniss mentioned that might find yourself taking place once more this 12 months, relying on lifeguard staffing ranges.
“We hope not to try this this 12 months,” she mentioned. “Our recruiting numbers are trying good.”
