They were as cooped up as we were, and they don't want to be chained to a job,” Smith said.

Smith said the pool normally fields around 10 to 12 lifeguards each year, and that three or four of the lifeguards hired in 2020 didn't come back in 2021.Part of the problem, Smith thinks, could be that young lifeguards don't want to work 40 hours a week.“Some of our lifeguards are 15 or 16 years old - this is their summer vacation. The Town Park Pool has reduced its hours to Fridays through Sundays, noon to 8 p.m., and refunded some season pass memberships. Right now, we have to look at different ways to attract new lifeguards.” “This could be a part of the ugly end of COVID, but hopefully, maybe now that kids are back to learning and know they can make some extra money, maybe it will go away on its own.

“It's a problem around the region,” Cohen said. Only eight of Pittsburgh's 18 public pools were able to open this season due to a lack of lifeguards. “We've been aggressive in recruiting - we've contacted the local schools and colleges and put out ads on Indeed - I, honest to God, don't know what to attribute (the shortage) to,” said Tom Smith, borough manager.īutler County Tourism and Convention Bureau president Jack Cohen pointed out that the shortage isn't just a problem in Butler County. The dilemma is part of a larger shortage as public pools across Butler County and the region face a dearth of lifeguards, along with a lackluster and stormy few weeks to begin the season. The pool's well of staff has dried up - it has only seven lifeguards this year, a major drop from typical numbers, with only a few available to work full time. If residents of Seven Fields are hoping to spend their summer free time at Town Park Pool, they may have to change their plans. The Cranberry waterpark hasn't seen much of a decrease in lifeguard availability.

Lifeguard Isabella Kling, 15, center, relieves Logan Hockenberry, 16, left, to take over monitoring swimmers at the waterslide at the Cranberry Township Waterpark at North Boundary Park on Thursday.

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