A front page article in the July 1st Concord Monitor informed the local residents that five of the seven public swimming pools will be open this summer. Unfortunately, pools at White Park and Garrison Park will remain closed, citing lack of sufficient lifeguard staffing for the season-long closures. A thought crossed my mind. I will not challenge the position that there are seven pools and sufficient staffing for only five pools to be open. So let’s be a bit creative and find an alternative staffing plan to keep all seven pools open.
Is it possible to close two pools each day, alternating the pool closures so that all seven pools can remain open five days a week rather than closing two pools for the entire summer? For example, pool 1 closed Monday and Thursday, pool 2 closed Tuesday and Friday, pool 3 closed Sunday and Wednesday, pool 4 closed Monday and Thursday, pool 5 closed Sunday and Friday, pool 6 closed Wednesday and Saturday, pool 7 closed Tuesday and Saturday. (Choose the closed days as you desire so long as every pool is closed only two days each.)
Could it be that simple? Wouldn’t finding creative workarounds allowing all seven pools to remain open be far more people-friendly and appropriate for our proud city? Or did that run of humid mid-90 degree days last week come with an “oh well” shrug of the shoulders towards those tax payers (and their kids!) who normally use pools at White and Garrison? Let’s go, Concord. We can do better. Find a way.
Jeff Smith
Concord