For what it’s worth. Five pools are closed this year for recreational swimming, and those that are open are typically open a grand total of 12 hours per week. The schedule is wack, as the kids would say. All pools that are still open are open from 2-4pm, and one assumes the bright spot was supposed to be that they are all open 6 days a week, but any way you slice it, gone are the days of killing time by the pool.
Obviously they are in dire straits to keep the doors open at all. Since these are permanent assets they basically have to keep them open. I’m not sure whether they considered closing a few of them permanently, keeping the larger pools open for longer periods. I’m also not sure why they didn’t consider staggered schedules (T/Th or M/W/F) as they used to do. It seems like either of those schedules would be more convenient for patrons.
Not to mention: how do they find trained lifeguards willing to work a grand total of 12 hours per week?
The Sac Rag 
Was just in Tampa, Florida, and a local philanthropist donated a considerable amount of money to keep local pools open. Maybe we need some sort of benevolent angel of sunburns and chlorine eyes to intervene in Sacramento. Any takers?
And yes, 2-4 PM? Considering most kids can’t drive themselves to the pool, and considering most kids have parents that work…..um, great choice, city planners!
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If they would hire the Siamese twins there, the pools could get twice the lifeguard coverage at the regular hourly wage. Heck- with an all Siamese twin lifeguard crew, the pools could be open from 1 to 5!
Mission Statement:
The Aquatics Section is dedicated to providing safe, fun, and educational water-related experiences* for all people.**
* “Water-related experiences” being those experiences to be had in the water between 2 and 4 pm, except Tuesdays. No floatation devices, water guns, water toys, or food. No playing chicken. No diving. No P in the _ool _lease.
** “All people” being those who are not employed to work between 2 and 4pm, on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.*** If you work during any of those times and still want to swim, go to the river, but if you have a kid under 12, they will have to wear a life jacket at all times when near the dangerous river water.
*** Unless you live in/near the rich (McKinnley park) or poor (Meadowview) areas of town, in which case you get from 1 to 5 on weekends to enjoy your water-related experiences, no Siamese twin cost cutting measures needed.
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FYI. Most of those lifeguards work during lesson sessions as well as during swim team practice and meets. So they are still getting a full days worth of work. I agree that I hate that the pools aren’t open longer for the public. I just wanted to point out that your worries about the quality of lifeguard based on hours available are probably unnecessary.
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Thanks Lunar! I’m not really worried about the quality of the lifeguards. I enjoyed some time with the kids at Tahoe Pool this weekend and even though it was insanely crowded the lifeguards were super mellow. One benefit of the 2 hour shift!
I don’t know if “most” of the lifeguards are involved with swim team and lessons, but you’re not far off… I’m looking e.g. at Tahoe Pool and lessons plus lifeguarding adds up to about 7 hours per day on M/W/F, throw in swim meets in July and you could put together about 30 hours of work over 6 days.
That being said, it still seems to me like there would be a way to schedule the open hours so that people could work 6 hours a day by jumping from pool to pool — which would also mean more hours for the public to enjoy the pools too. I’m sure there is some logistical reason this would not work though.
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