TOLEDO, Ohio — With summer just around the corner, work is being done to create safe spaces for kids in Toledo.
Dawn Cousino, a supervisor with the city's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Services, says right now they are focused on opening Toledo's city pools. She said maintenance and passing health inspections is a high priority.
"Currently we are filling all six of our pools and after they are full, we will then add chlorine to keep them chlorinated and safe for swimmers," Cousino said.
The city pools have only one week left to prepare for opening day on May 27. Cousino said once the gates open each pool could see up to 600 people a week and they are prepared to accommodate the demand.
"There's a lot of children and adults that use the city pools," Cousino said. "It's a big draw in the summertime and to be able to fill them and staff them and create a safe space for them to go and have fun is critical I think for the citizens for Toledo."
These safe spaces started to close down at the start of the pandemic and the commissioner of parks and recreation says the impact was devastating.
"When COVID hit and we had to close the pools we lost a little momentum with our lifeguards," Karen Ranney Wolkins said. "There were people who had been lifeguards that didn't come back."
But they said this year will be different.
The city leaders said all lifeguard positions are full and a waiting list has been created.
"Maybe the reason our lifeguard positions are all full is because we pay well," Wolkins said. "it's a $16 an hour job and if we have people in the community who has not yet gotten their summer job and they are already pre-certified, we can put them on the list."
All of the current city pool lifeguards were required to pass a lifeguard course paid for by Toledo's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Services. They were also trained in safety measures.
"Each pool has an emergency action plan in case of weather and in case of unsafe conditions and I think them being trained by that helps parents feel a little safer knowing that their kids can go to a safe place and swim," Cousino said.
You can find ways to be certified as a lifeguard in your area through the American Life Guard Association.
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