Allegheny County Making Changes At Parks, Looking For Lifeguards
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Styles and abilities of every possibility were on display under a brilliant Memorial Day sun on the golf courses of North and South Park.
When it came time to open the county's gems for the summer, the county realized no one had bid on the contract to run the 19th holes. After a round of sun-drenched golf, there's nothing more important than the chance to settle in for a refreshment and relive the glory.
Since no one stepped up, Parks Director Andy Baechle says the county decided to do it itself.
"We're selling everything! So, we'll give it a try, and then we can analyze it at the end of the season as to whether it worked well or not," he said.
Meanwhile, the wave machine in the South Park pool is working well again. The aging machine was so old when it broke down, the county had to manufacture the replacement part or search online for a part to get it running again. So, instead, the old machine is gone, and a new one is in its place.
Baechle says, "We think that just in energy savings it will pay for itself in seven years."
On the other end of the compass, the North Park pool now is sporting a heavy-duty inflatable across it's deep end.
"It's a 130-foot challenge course," Baechle says. "If you fall, you fall in the water. It looks like a lot of fun; I can't wait to use it."
The hope is the challenge course will boost North Park attendance.
"North Park has the lowest numbers and the other three wave pools have more stimulation, more action and young kids want more action," Baechle said.
But action in the water requires watchful eyes in the elevated lifeguard chairs. So far, 130 guards have applied, but Baechle says, "There's three of our four pools we still need lifeguards for. We've got enough to get open, but we sure would like to have more."
With the safety driven need to rotate guards out of the chairs on a regular basis, he says, "Sometimes we maybe will have to not open the slide or something like that." And Baechle says it gets tougher as the summer goes on and vacations and early departures stretch the ranks thin.
Being a lifeguard for Allegheny County pays $11 to $13 an hour, and with the pools open every day, there are plenty of hours available.
Thursday, the county will hold an open test for lifeguards at the Oliver Citywide Academy on the North Side. You can connect to a lifeguard application and everything you need to know here: http://www.alleghenycounty.us/parks/careers/lifeguard-positions.aspx
The Allegheny County pools at North and South Park, as well as Boyce Park and Settlers Cabin open Saturday, June 2.