Barton Springs Pool to close Mondays, Wednesdays due to lack of lifeguards

The closures will begin on Monday, March 21 and will continue until a sufficient number of guards can be hired, trained, and certified, says PARD.

AUSTIN, Texas - Barton Springs Pool will be closing on Mondays and Wednesdays soon due to a lack of lifeguards, says Austin Parks & Recreation (PARD).

The closures will begin on Monday, March 21 and will continue until a sufficient number of guards can be hired, trained, and certified, says PARD. The closures will not affect the 5-8 a.m. swim times which will remain "swim at your risk." Barton Springs Pool is also closed on Thursdays for cleaning.

PARD's Aquatic Division had ceased training and onboarding lifeguards during spring break in 2020 in response to COVID-19. Although training resumed last spring, PARD says the staffing deficit has been difficult to overcome, and they have about 100 trained and certified lifeguards on payroll.

However, PARD says that because of its unique features, Barton Springs Pool requires an additional Open Water Guard certification and training and there are currently only 23 certified Open Water Guards available to guard the pool. Those guards also assist with training throughout the season.

PARD says that its Aquatic Division has made and will continue to make every attempt to have a fully operational schedule for the week of Spring Break, March 12 – March 20, but with staffing levels so low, modification to the pool schedule or temporary capacity limits may need to be imposed if there are any fluctuations in staff availability.

For alternative swimming options on these closure days, residents can click here. Those interested can apply to be a lifeguard here.

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