MENTOR, Ohio — The City of Mentor will only open one of three municipal pools, the Civic Center Pool, this summer due to an “extreme shortfall of lifeguard applicants,” the city announced Monday.
The city said the opening day for swim season is June 6 and the Civic Center Pool will be open for limited hours if additional guards can’t be found.
“We need a minimum of 80 lifeguards on staff to effectively operate all three municipal pools through the course of the swimming season,” said Kenn Kaminski, Parks & Recreation Director, in a news release. “By this time of year, we are usually fully staffed but due to a lack of applicants, we are at less than 20% of our staffing goals. As a result, Morton Pool and Garfield Pool will, unfortunately, remain closed this year, and it looks like we’ll be forced to limit hours at Civic Center as well.”
The starting pay rate for new lifeguards in Mentor is $12 per hour, a $3.75 increase from last year. The city is offering an additional $2 per hour bonus rate based on availability. Lifeguards returning from another season can make up $16 per hour.
The position requires a minimum commitment of 25 hours per week including afternoon, evening and weekend hours, from May through August.
The city of Mentor is offering a lifeguarding certification course for those not yet certified. The course will be held June 6 and June 10. Registration is $175 but will be fully reimbursed to those who work as a lifeguard at the Mentor pool and meet the minimum requirements throughout the season.
Interested lifeguard applicants can find more information here.
Mentor isn’t the only community facing a lifeguard shortage. Pools throughout the region are having a problem finding lifeguards.
The City of Stow announced it will not open the Maplewood Poolfor the 2022 season due to a shortage of applicants.
Wickliffe is also hiring lifeguards, with pay beginning at $12 per hour.
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