Safety comes first at Mt. Pleasant pool

MT. PLEASANT — As the weather gets warmer people are ready to flock to the pools to cool down, but are the pools ready for them?

On May 25, the City of Mt. Pleasant Park & Recreation Department announced opening day to be Monday, May 30 from 1-7 p.m. with a warning that staffing issues may cause the pool to be closed on normal operating days.

Mt. Pleasant Family Aquatic Center opened for the season over Memorial Day weekend, but had to close at 4 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. due to a chemical imbalance in the pool.

“We couldn’t see the bottom of the deep end anymore,” Aquatic Center manager Sydni Wilson said. “We have to choose safety first, or course.”

According to Wilson, the first days of the pool being open can cause an imbalance in the chemicals, but she assures they tend to balance by the very next day and are ready for swimmers.

Mt. Pleasant Family Aquatic Center did write down names for day passes for those who did not get a full session’s worth of swimming.

“Everyone is just pitching in a little more,” Wilson said.

According to Wilson, the pool employee schedule is currently sorted to maintain normal operating hours, but there is not a lot of wiggle room.

In the event of unforeseen circumstance, the pool will still need to close for a day.

“We are working on bringing another life guarding class here to Mt. Pleasant to hopefully bring in more life guards, because the last one was in Burlington,” Wilson said.

Other pools in the area are finding it hard to always be fully staffed for the summer, too.

YMCA Aquatics Manger Samantha Vanhouten says the Washington Steele Family Aquatic Center, however, does not plan to handle staff shortages by closing for a day.

“We might limit the number of people or shut down stations if we run into staffing issues,” Vanhouten said.

Considering outdoor pools are dependent on not only staffing, but also weather, it is best practice to check on your swimming hole of choice before loading up the children, the sunscreen, the towels, and everything else.

Wilson says that the best parts of working at the Mt. Pleasant Family Aquatic Center for the summer are the hours and getting tan.

Mt. Pleasant Family Aquatic Center still is hiring for concessions, front desk, and especially life guard positions.

To apply, visit the Mt. Pleasant Park & Recreation Department office.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com