It's almost pool season, but some Denver Parks and Recreation pools will not reopen summer due to staffing shortages and ongoing maintenance.
According to Parks and Rec, these five indoor pools will remain closed this year unless it manages to hire enough lifeguards to be on duty:
- Ashland Recreation Center
- Central Park Recreation Center
- Scheitler Recreation Center
- Twentieth Street Recreation Center
- Washington Park Recreation Center.
Parks and Recreation spokesperson Cyndi Karvaski said previously scheduled maintenance work will also keep Montclair Recreation Center will closed this season.
A press release from the department said the pools were chosen "based on a variety of factors including equity, usage, proximity to other pools, and scheduled closures."
More lifeguards needed
Pools typically open around June 7, but this year the city pushed back to June 13 to allow for two additional lifeguard certification courses. If you're interested in applying, the department said applicants can attend "a swimming pre-test on May 25, 26, 27 or June 16 at various locations."
"For several years, Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) has paid the full cost of certification or renewal for job applicants and will continue to aggressively recruit using numerous methods," department officials said in a statement. "To help with summer operations, DPR is offering overtime pay to all on-call and non-exempt employees from across the department."
La Alma outdoor pool will also remain closed this season for inspection and possible repairs. At a neighborhood meeting focused on the reopening of the La Alma-Lincoln Park recreation center, community members requested that children from the neighborhood be bussed to a nearby pool. Karvaski said the department is still working out details.
One pool that will reopen, though not on June 13, is Congress Park Pool. The pool recently underwent a $10.1 million renovation as part of the Elevate Denver Bond program passed by voters in 2017. The pool was built in 1955 and required renovations to accommodate growth in the neighborhood and to modernize it.
Karvaski said the pool's opening is "weather-dependent." Epoxy paint was applied to coat and waterproof the pool. Once that cures, which is the weather-dependent part, the pool can be filled with water.
A full list of the closed pools and nearby options is listed below:
- Ashland Recreation Center
Nearest DPR pools: Rude Recreation Center, Aztlan Recreation Center, Berkeley Park - Central Park Recreation Center
Nearest DPR pools: Montbello, Martin Luther King Jr. and Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Centers - Scheitler Recreation Center
Nearest DPR pools: Berkeley Park and Aztlan Recreation Center - Twentieth Street Recreation Center
Nearest DPR pools: Glenarm Recreation Center, Argo Park, Mestizo Curtis Park - Washington Park Recreation Center
Nearest DPR pools: Harvard Gulch, Harvey Park and Carla Madison Recreation Centers; Ruby Hill Park - Montclair Recreation Center
Nearest DPR pools: Cook Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center
Find more info on public pools here.
