Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Buffalo's 9 outdoor city swimming pools will remain closed this summer because of a lifeguard shortage. The city's 2 indoor pools will remain open.
"The decision to not open our outdoor pools this summer came down to the safety and welfare of our residents. We realize this decision will disappoint the hundreds of youngsters and adults who enjoy spending summer hours at our outdoor swimming pools, but the bottom-line is we don't have the number of lifeguards required to keep our residents safe," Mayor Brown said.
Brown says the city will waive fees and extend weekday and weekend hours at the Cazenovia Park and Lovejoy Park indoor pools, from July 1 through Labor Day, September 5.
Brown says he's asked the Buffalo Common Council today to raise lifeguard pay to $20 an hour, from the current $16 an hour, in an effort to retain and attract additional lifeguards. He adds there will be free lifeguard training this summer.
"Over the past nearly six months, we've worked in partnership with the Police Athletic League of Buffalo in an unprecedented effort to hire certified lifeguards, including raising pay and running our own lifeguard training classes, but were still unable to hire the staff required to safely open our outdoor pools," said Andrew Rabb, Deputy Commissioner of Parks & Recreation. He says despite efforts, the city was only able to hire 22 additional lifeguards. There was a staff of 80 in 2019, the last pre-pandemic summer.
Starting July 1 through September 5, the schedules for the City's two indoor pools will be:
Cazenovia Pool, 626 Abbott Road
Monday - 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday - CLOSED
Wednesday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday – 8 a.m. to 7p.m.
Saturday - 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lovejoy Pool, 1171 E. Lovejoy St.
Monday - CLOSED
Tuesday – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday - 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
10 of the City's 11 splash pads debuted for the 2022 season on May 29, and are open weekdays, and are now open daily, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., through Labor Day, weather permitting. The Allison Park splash pad will open as soon as pump repairs are complete.
Niagara Falls and West Seneca have also shuttered pools this summer because of a lifeguard shortage.
