Trumbull pools restore some evening hours after popular demand
TRUMBULL — Due to popular demand, the town is adding some evening hours at the two town pools, though it had planned not to do so.
Originally, the town planned for Beach Memorial Pool to be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and for Tashua Knolls Pool to be open for general swim from noon to 6 p.m. Tashua Knolls would also be open from 10 a.m. to noon for swim lessons and camps only.
Last year, the pools were open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. A lengthy statement on the town website declared that it had shortened the hours from previous seasons due to staffing issues.
“With the nationwide lifeguard shortage, we had difficulty attracting a sufficient number of lifeguards to staff our pools,” the statement read.
“Accordingly, in order to make ourselves competitive in the 2022 recruitment process, we decided to increase the rate of pay offered, which in turn required a reduction in opening hours of the pools in order to stay within budget.”
When contacted earlier this season, Trumbull officials said they had a full lifeguard staff for the season of 60 guards for the two pools. The town pays $19 an hour for lifeguards, matching the new salaries the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recently announced for lifeguards at state parks.
Before the recent increase, the Trumbull lifeguards were paid $16 an hour.
In the statement on the website, town officials said they decided on the new hours by reviewing the times of lowest attendance during previous years. However, the reduced hours were met with criticism.
“That being said, in recent days the public has asked to reinstate some evening hours,” the statement read. “Working with the First Selectman’s Office to make the necessary adjustments to our budget, we are able to add additional hours, complying with industry standards of staffing.”
The hours have stayed largely the same, but the Beach Memorial Pool will now be open for general swim until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays (with adaptive swim from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays), and the Tashua Knolls Pool will be open until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays.
These hours will be in effect until Aug. 12. Around that time, hours will be reviewed and possibly adjusted again, based on how many lifeguards remain after universities and some private schools resume classes.
Cynthia Katske, chief administrative officer for Trumbull, said town officials are glad they were able to restore at least some of the evening hours.
“We’re pleased that we can provide some expanded hours for the public,” she said. “We’ve determined that we can safely open with sufficient staff for those hours.”