And four of those pools were closed year-round, including the popular outdoor Washington Park pool, which Time Out Magazine once named the best public park in the city. In Alderman Jeanette Taylor’s 20th Ward, all six Park District pools were closed. Park District data show that last summer, there were two Black wards where all public pools were closed. But in fairness, the Park District also closed at an equal rate 60 percent of the pools in the white wards and 60 percent in the Latino wards. That is 60 percent of the pools in Black wards. However, last summer, the Park District closed eight indoor pools and a staggering 19 outdoor pools in Black wards. A Crusader analysis of Park District data reveals a total of 45 indoor and outdoor pools in Black wards on the South and West sides. The most public pools in Chicago are located in Black wards. That left only 36 public pools open for a city of over 2.7 million residents. But last year, the Park District closed a total of 56 pools in Chicago during the summer, citing a severe shortage of lifeguards. With over 600 parks, 27 beaches and 93 indoor and outdoor pools, Chicago has one of the largest park districts in the country. There is concern the number of pool closures throughout Chicago will be the same or even worse because of a national shortage of lifeguards patrolling beaches and public pools at local park districts in cities across America. With another year to step up its recruitment of lifeguards, the Park District is under pressure to show some progress by having more open public pools this summer than last year. Facing a lifeguard shortage, the Chicago Park District abruptly announced at the beginning of summer the closure of 57 public pools in Chicago.Īpproximately 28, or half, of those pools were located in 15 Black wards on Chicago’s South and West sides, according to a Crusader analysis of data from last summer’s pool closures.Īfter emailing Park District spokesperson Michele Lemons, the Crusader is waiting for a status update on the availability of Chicago’s public pools this summer. Last year, summer was not so great for thousands of Chicago’s Black wards residents. ![]() The unofficial start of summer kicks off this month with picnics, backyard barbeques, and trips to Chicago’s beaches and public pools. ![]() The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and Memorial Day weekend is in three weeks.
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