Some Philly pools aren’t opening until late July and August because of the lifeguard shortage

City leaders cried victory last month in a yearslong fight to open all of the city’s available public pools.

Mayor Jim Kenney thanked the lifeguards who stepped up to fill staffing shortages that have plagued the city in recent summers and left about 15 pools closed for two years. Thanks to them, he said, the city was “bucking the national trend and on track to open 100% of available public pools this summer.”

He might have spoken too soon.

A month later, some public pools remained closed. The city’s website offered little clarity, simply saying several pools, including Stinger in Grays Ferry, Tustin in Overbrook, and Dendy in North Philadelphia, were “expected to open after July 5.” The delays are due to staffing attrition and delays in getting lifeguards’ paperwork to clear, Parks and Recreation told The Inquirer.

“For those pools still struggling to staff up, we are currently working hand-in-hand with the final group of lifeguard candidates to complete all the necessary paperwork and screenings to begin working on the pool deck as soon as possible,” said Parks and Rec spokesperson Maita Soukup.

She said the goal is still to open all 61 pools available — there are 70 outdoor pools but nine were never going to open this summer due to ongoing capital repairs.

Six pools are slated to open this month and four pools, including Baker in Overbrook and Gathers in North Philadelphia, still don’t have opening dates because of staffing. Amos and M.L. King, Jr. pools in North Philadelphia don’t have opening dates yet as they are undergoing capital repairs. M.L. King, Jr. was supposed to open July 4 and Amos was one of the pools slated to open sometime after July 5.

For those pools that are opening later than expected, the parks department is working to keep pools open later in the season, possibly through Sept. 10. Last year, pools began shutting down for the season mid-August.

This summer’s delays come at the heels of a shortage of lifeguards two decades in the making and made worse by the pandemic. Pools in Philly were closed during the summer of 2020 and in the summers since have had to keep 15 pools closed, much to the chagrin of residents who argue these facilities are free safe spaces for young people during a time investment in public spaces for them is dwindling.

But the lifeguard shortages extend beyond Philadelphia, affecting pools and beaches as far as the Midwest all the way to the Jersey Shore.

In an effort to avoid closures, Philly made a citywide push to find 350 to 400 lifeguards for this summer. And efforts appeared to gain traction with enticements such as $1,000 bonuses for new hires and opportunities for Temple students to earn college credit.

A drawback of hiring so many people at once, however, is that it can take up to a month to process their paperwork.

Already, Parks is thinking about next summer and how it’ll get lifeguards ready to work sooner. They plan to host lifeguard screenings in what’s left of the season to get a head start on next year.

“While we can’t reverse the effects of a national lifeguard shortage in a single season, we are doing all we can to provide access to swimming pools and free swim lessons in every neighborhood of the city,” said Soukup.

Opening Thursday, July 20

Opening Friday, July 21

Opening Saturday, July 22

Opening Monday, July 31