Children in the Durkeeville neighborhood wade into the waters at the Emmett Reed Swimming Pool on Friday, July 14, 2023.
Published on May 9, 2024 at 5:54 pm
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The unofficial start to summer will jump off with a splash as community pools in Jacksonville, Green Cove Springs and St. Augustine plan to open in time for Memorial Day.
In Jacksonville, 31 of the city’s 34 pools will open on Sunday, May 26. Renovations to the pools on the campuses of Raines, Englewood and Baldwin high schools mean those will not be available.
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Jax solves lifeguard staffing riddle
It’s a brighter outlook than last summer, when staff shortages and maintenance issues kept multiple pools in Jacksonville closed throughout June.
Jacksonville’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Daryl Joseph says the city plans to hire nearly 100 additional lifeguards before pools open, for a total of around 350.
A pay increase has helped recruitment. Jacksonville will play lifeguards $15 an hour this year, up from $14 an hour last year.
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“Increasing the actual rate of pay has been beneficial,” Joseph says. “But, we’ve also changed some of our methods as it relates to marketing. We’ve done a lot of grassroots (efforts): going out talking to youth groups, going to colleges, going to school fairs to really go where the students are to make sure that we are able to open as many pools as possible for the summer.”
The city of Jacksonville allocated $500,000 this year to address the staffing shortage and maintenance issues at local pools.
The city of St. Augustine’s Galimore Community Pool will open on Friday, May 24, at 1 p.m. The Lincolnville pool will be open through Sept. 28. Hours will vary depending on previously scheduled camps and swim schedules.
St. Johns pools
In West Augustine, the Solomon Calhoun Center pool is owned by the county but operated by the St. Augustine Family YMCA. St. Johns County Parks & Recreation officials say that facility has lifeguards who are hired by the YMCA and open throughout the year depending on camps and other aquatic programs.
Clay pools
In Green Cove Springs, the Camp Chowenwaw Pool is slated to open for the season on Saturday, May 25, at 11 a.m. That public pool, operated by Clay County, will open daily at either 11 a.m. or 1 p.m.
In southwest Clay County, the Keystone Beach/Geneva Jungle is open throughout the year. There are no lifeguards on duty and swimmers are advised to wade into the water at their own risk.
