TULSA, Okla. — Students are out of school and the weather is warming up. It's all happening just in time for pools to open their doors for the season.
Although, the last few years, the City of Tulsa has had trouble staffing the pools.
You may remember last summer some of them had to shutter for several days of the week.
So what can you expect this summer?
For the first time in five years, the City of Tulsa has enough staff to open all five pools for the summer.
In the past, Tulsa has had to stagger pool scheduled since they weren't able to hire enough lifeguards to have every pool open.
With pools shut down for several days a week, the facilities shared the small lifeguard staff.
For Nick Pond, the city's aquatics director, this will be the first year since taking the position that he's been able to fully staff his department for the summer season.
Something he is excited about.
"It's a big undertaking but I'm glad we can finally do it," Pond said. "It just means we are going to be available for the community more often than we have been in the past couple years since COVID."
Pond said he's hired 32 lifeguards.
While he could use two or three more, 32 is enough to have five pools open six days a week.
Pond believed there a combination of factors that have aided in finally being able to staff all the pools.
"Returning staff really enjoying their jobs, recruiting their friends by word of mouth. I think it's job fairs and our free certification classes are a huge draw. I had 26 kids I certified for this summer. When I hire 34 that's more than half."
Those certification classes can cost hundred of dollars.
Plus, Pond said there's been a small pay increase.
Lifeguards are now making $11.90 an hour and returning staff gets a 50 cent raise every year.
Every pool is open six days a week.
Berry and Lacy will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both closed Sundays.
McClure will be open 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
Whiteside and the newly renovated Reed Park Pool will be open 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.
In Broken Arrow, they have three pools and the recreations superintendent says they have enough staff to operate all of them but they are still looking for more.
"As the season goes on, we have kids that go to camp and different things like that so our numbers fluctuate but that's something that happens with every pool every year," said Jody Baker the Broken Arrow Recreations Superintendent.
BA pools will be open seven days a week with varying hours.
The Family Aquatic Center will be open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Nienhuis Aquatic Facility will be open Monday 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday 1:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday 1:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday & Saturday 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
No matter what pool you go to this summer, lifeguards are geared up and ready for a fun, safe season.
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