Getting Public Swimming Pools Open: Ahead of July 4 Weekend, Gov. Polis Takes Action to Ensure More Swimming Pools Can Open & Expand Hours this Summer, Providing More Opportunities for Colorado Families to Swim
Press Release
Today, Governor Polis and the Department of Local Affairs announced grants to 71 swimming pools across Colorado received much-needed grants to help ensure swimming pools are open and properly staffed in time for the July 4th holiday and for the remainder of the summer months. Last week, Governor Polis announced the Pools Special Initiative 2022, a plan of action to help swimming pools open and expand hours this summer, as pools around the country have faced workforce shortages.
"We are helping expand pool hours and get closed pools open so that this July 4th and throughout the summer, Coloradans across the state can safely have fun with family and friends, learn to swim, exercise and recreate at our amazing public pools. We are working with local communities to get more pools open and expand hours with support for increased pay, more work flexibility, and helping train more lifeguards," said Governor Polis.
The Pools Special Initiative 2022 provides incentives to attract and retain public pool employees through the summer and ensure adequate staffing levels to allow pools to open at maximum capacity. The awarded grants support more workforce flexibility, new training for lifeguards, and provide real relief to local communities working to make sure Coloradans can enjoy their summers at the pool.
These grants help communities find and keep qualified lifeguards, ensuring that pools can increase operating hours and to stay open longer in the summer after many lifeguards return to school in the fall, and expanding capacity to teach life-saving swim lessons.
Grant recipients include:
Apex Park and Recreation District (Jefferson County)
Arapahoe Park & Recreation District
Aspen
Aurora
Avon
Banning Lewis Metropolitan District
Basalt
Bennett Park and Recreation District (Adams County)
Berthoud
Boulder
Breckenridge
Brighton
Broomfield, City and County of
Canon City Area Metropolitan Recreation & Park District
Castle Rock
Chaparral Metropolitan District (Arapahoe County)
Cheyenne Wells Metropolitan Recreation District
Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District
Colorado Springs
Commerce City
Cortez
Craig
Delta
Denver
Eagle-Vail Metropolitan District
Eastern Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation & Park District
Englewood
Erie
Estes Valley Recreation & Park District (Larimer County)
Evergreen Park & Recreation District
Flagler
Foothills Park & Recreation District
Fort Collins
Fossil Ridge Metropolitan District No. 1
Fraser Valley Metropolitan Recreation District
Golden
Grand Junction
Greeley
Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District (Adams County)
Inspiration Metropolitan District (Jefferson County)
Johnstown
La Junta
Lafayette
Lakewood
Longmont
Louisville
Loveland
Manitou Springs
Montrose Recreation District
Mount Vernon Country Club Metropolitan District
Mountain Recreation Metropolitan District (Eagle County)
Northglenn
Ouray
Parker
Pinery West Metropolitan District No. 2 (Douglas County)
Pueblo
Rocky Ford
Saddle Rock South Metropolitan District No. 2 (Arapahoe County)
Silverthorne
Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
South Park - Park and Recreation District
Stonegate North Villages Metropolitan District
Stonegate Village Metropolitan District (Douglas County)
Ventana Metropolitan District (El Paso County)
Western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation & Park District
Westminster
Wheat Ridge
Whispering Pines Metropolitan District No. 1 (Arapahoe County)
Windsor
Woodland Park
Yuma
The grant program is a partnership between the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade's Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC).
Additionally, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), in collaboration with local workforce centers, will provide workforce training and support recruitment efforts through their Reskilling, Upskilling, And Next-skilling Workers (RUN) grant. This program will enable individuals to complete training to be certified as a lifeguard or receive related skills (e.g. CPR), and be paid a $1,000 stipend upon completion of the training program and beginning employment as a lifeguard. CDLE will also be issuing an emergency waiver effective immediately and applicable through September 5, 2022 to allow 16- and 17-year old lifeguards to work limited overtime hours (no more than 10 hours per day and 54 hours per week), if deemed needed by their employer, in order to increase available staffing capacity, with overtime rates.
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