Cincinnati city pools gearing up for Memorial Day weekend kickoff

There is some exciting news for families who are ready to grab their swim gear as summer approaches

There is some exciting news for families who are ready to grab their swim gear as summer approaches

IS QUICKLY APPROACHING, AND SOME OF YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHEN POOLS AROUND THE CITY ARE GOING TO REOPEN. TO GIVE SOMETHING TO DO FOR THE KIDS, THAT’S FOR SURE. WLWT NEWS FIVE ANCHOR CHRIS JACOBS NOW JOINING US FROM MOUNT AUBURN WITH SOME EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE ABOUT THE REOPENING OF POOLS THIS YEAR. HI THERE CHRIS. SOMEWHERE IN THERE. YEAH. HEY, MIKE. SHERRY. WELL, YOU KNOW, THE EXCITING NEWS IS THAT ALL 24 POOLS ARE GOING TO REOPEN THIS YEAR. SO THAT’S A BIG CHANGE FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. JUST LAST YEAR, IT WAS 19 POOLS THAT WERE OPEN OUT OF THE 24. AND THEN THE YEAR BEFORE THAT IT WAS ONLY 11. SO A REALLY NICE BIT OF NEWS HERE. AND THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS THAT ALL POOLS WILL BE OPEN. DUNHAM OAKLEY AND MCKEE POOLS WILL OPEN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, BUT THE REST OF THE POOLS, THEY’RE EXPECTED TO BE OPEN BY JUNE 10TH. THE CITY IS ABOUT 20 LIFEGUARDS SHORT RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY DO EXPECT TO BE FULLY STAFFED WHEN SUMMER KICKS OFF. VICE MAYOR JANE MICHELLE KEARNEY SAYS THE LIFEGUARD ACADEMY IS A TEN WEEK PROGRAM THAT RUNS THROUGH THE YEAR. KIDS GET PAID WHILE LEARNING HOW TO SWIM, AND SHE SAYS IT PROVIDES MORE KIDS WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES AFTER THEY COMPLETE THE ACADEMY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY ACTUALLY GET PAID TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM. IT’S ABOUT 12.95 AN HOUR. WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL TRAIN TO BE LIFEGUARDS, BUT SOME OF THEM MIGHT SAY, I STILL DON’T WANT TO BE A LIFEGUARD NOW THAT I KNOW HOW TO SWIM, BUT THEY CAN WORK CONCESSION STANDS. THEY CAN HELP AROUND THE POOL. THERE ARE OTHER JOBS BESIDES BEING A LIFEGUARD. WELL, KIDS AS YOUNG AS 14 YEARS OLD CAN SIGN UP TO BE PART OF THE LIFEGUARD ACADEMY. NOW, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, YOU CAN VISIT CINCY REC DOT ORG. NOW, THE ONLY BAD NEWS OF TODAY IS THAT THE POOLS WEREN’T OPEN TODAY. TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECT FOR HIM. REPORTIN

Cincinnati city pools gearing up for Memorial Day weekend kickoff

There is some exciting news for families who are ready to grab their swim gear as summer approaches

There is some exciting news for families who are ready to grab their swim gear as summer approaches.All 24 Cincinnati Recreation Commission pools are expected to re-open this year.In 2023, 19 pools opened, and in 2022, 11 pools opened. Dunham, Oakley, and McKie pools will open Memorial Day weekend, but all pools are expected to be open by June 10. The city is about 20 lifeguards short right now, but are expecting to be fully staffed by summer. Vice Mayor Jan Michele-Kearney says around this time last year, the city was short about 100 lifeguards.She says the city has been recruiting people all year long, making a huge difference.Kearney says it's important for people to relax and enjoy their summer at the pool."Having a pool open when you're a kid means everything because it gives you a place to look forward to going to in the summer where you can swim and learn how to swim," Kearney said. "If you already know how to swim, you get to get out there and swim and be with your friends and meet new friends and that's what summer is all about. That's part of childhood to get out there and go swimming in the summer." Kearney says The Lifeguard Academy is a 10-week program available all year round. It gives money to kids to learn to swim and offers job chances at pools, especially for Black and brown kids."The good news is they actually get paid to learn how to swim. It's about $12.95 an hour," Kearney explained. "We hope that they will train to be lifeguards, but some of them might say, 'I still don't want to be a lifeguard now that I know how to swim.' But they can work concession stands, they can help around the pool. There are there other jobs besides being a lifeguard." Kids as young as 14 can sign up to be part of the Lifeguard Academy. Click here for more information.

CINCINNATI —

There is some exciting news for families who are ready to grab their swim gear as summer approaches.

All 24 Cincinnati Recreation Commission pools are expected to re-open this year.

In 2023, 19 pools opened, and in 2022, 11 pools opened.

Dunham, Oakley, and McKie pools will open Memorial Day weekend, but all pools are expected to be open by June 10.

The city is about 20 lifeguards short right now, but are expecting to be fully staffed by summer.

Vice Mayor Jan Michele-Kearney says around this time last year, the city was short about 100 lifeguards.

She says the city has been recruiting people all year long, making a huge difference.

Kearney says it's important for people to relax and enjoy their summer at the pool.

"Having a pool open when you're a kid means everything because it gives you a place to look forward to going to in the summer where you can swim and learn how to swim," Kearney said. "If you already know how to swim, you get to get out there and swim and be with your friends and meet new friends and that's what summer is all about. That's part of childhood to get out there and go swimming in the summer."

Kearney says The Lifeguard Academy is a 10-week program available all year round. It gives money to kids to learn to swim and offers job chances at pools, especially for Black and brown kids.

"The good news is they actually get paid to learn how to swim. It's about $12.95 an hour," Kearney explained. "We hope that they will train to be lifeguards, but some of them might say, 'I still don't want to be a lifeguard now that I know how to swim.' But they can work concession stands, they can help around the pool. There are there other jobs besides being a lifeguard."

Kids as young as 14 can sign up to be part of the Lifeguard Academy. Click here for more information.

Cincinnati city pools gearing up for Memorial Day weekend kickoff

There is some exciting news for families who are ready to grab their swim gear as summer approaches

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