Lack of Lifeguards is the Reason One Rockford Pool is Still Closed

When it gets super hot in the summer, there is no better place to be than poolside. If you're like me, and you don't have a big pool in your backyard, public pools can be the cure for all your summertime blues.

Rockford is blessed to have several pool options to go to and swim the summer away, but as of right now, we are down one choice.

Remember when we learned in 2019 that Alpine Pool was closing for good, and then the City of Rockford swooped in to save it and gave us hope for the return of swimming fun in 2020? Well, COVID-19 ended up smashing all those hopes into the ground, and now we are facing another year of no swimming at Alpine Pool.

This past weekend I heard from a source that Alpine Pool in Rockford is not reopening yet, and I was super not digging that news. Is it COVID's fault? Nope. Do we have the Rockford Park District's budget troubles to blame for it? Nope. It's because, despite their intense efforts, the Rockford Park District has not been able to hire enough lifeguards to allow them to reopen Alpine Pool. My friends, this is not okay.

Here's what it says regarding Alpine Pool on Rockford Park District's website;

THE ROCKFORD PARK DISTRICT CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE A SHORTAGE OF LIFEGUARDS EVEN AFTER EXTENSIVE RECRUITING EFFORTS AND MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.

AT THIS TIME, THE PARK DISTRICT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN ALPINE POOL FOR PUBLIC SWIM DUE TO A LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE.

ALPINE POOL WILL ONLY BE OPEN FOR SWIM LESSONS THROUGH THE YWCA OF ROCK RIVER VALLEY AND PRIVATE RENTALS. IF THE DISTRICT IS ABLE TO HIRE AND TRAIN ADDITIONAL LIFEGUARDS, PUBLIC SWIM HOURS MAY BE AVAILABLE LATER THIS SUMMER.

The Rockford Park District is not the only employer struggling to find new employees, it's happening everywhere. I get that a lot of people are making more money on unemployment than when they were actually working, but typically lifeguards are younger adults trying to make some extra spending cash. Do teens not want to work anymore?

Can you please just click this link and apply to be a Rockford Park District lifeguard so we can all get to swimming at Alpine Pool again? They pay lifeguards $15 an hour!