(WBBM NEWSRADIO) - After a rocky couple of years, the Chicago Park District is attempting to burnish an old, troubled image and replenish the ranks of its lifeguard program.
A new marketing campaign highlights what interim Park District Superintendent Rosa Escareño said are diverse and well-trained lifeguards who represent so much of what makes the city great.
“Their work is to save lives and to make sure that all of the programming is strong and solid,” Escareño said.
But, after reports of rampant sexual harassment and abuse within the program forced top officials out, Escareño acknowledged the aim is also to reassure participants and parents the program has better training and oversight.
“We have trained 3,000 of our workforce at the end of the year and everything dealing with sexual harrasment, bullying, and all these problematic issues and concerns that we’ve heard about.”
Escareño said the new Office of Prevention and Accountability will guarantee that any complaints of bad behavior won’t be ignored.
“This office is specifically dedicated to ensuring that these complaints not only will be looked at, they will be thoroughly investigated and we will make sure that wrongdoers are held accountable.”
The District employs 300 lifeguards year round and hires another 500 for the warmer weather.
The lifeguard program's open to Chicago residents 16 and older.
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