Chilling out: Attendance soars at area pools
Area swimming pools are making a big splash this summer as folks look for ways to cool off in the summer无毛视频檚 record-breaking heat.
AccuWeather recorded five days in June and nine through mid-July when temperatures hit the 90-degree mark in Southwestern Pennsylvania. While most pools don无毛视频檛 have specific numbers yet, all are reporting increases in attendance over last season.
无毛视频淭his is my fifth year, and we无毛视频檝e never had numbers like this,无毛视频� Bret Moore, director of parks and recreation for Greene County, said of attendance at Greene County Water Park in Waynesburg and Mon View Pool in Greensboro. 无毛视频淲e normally have a third pool in Carmichaels, but it无毛视频檚 under repair this summer; we are probably going to match our total for three pools with only two operating and we are well ahead of last year无毛视频檚 pace,无毛视频� he said.
With a capacity of 500 at the Waynesburg park, Moore said 无毛视频渨e were seeing 400 to 500 people on 90-degree days.
Christina Hollandsworth, pool director at Canonsburg Town Park Pool, said, 无毛视频淚无毛视频檇 say last year we无毛视频檇 reach 200 to 300 people on nice days and we are probably up to 350 to 400 people at this point.无毛视频� On the Fourth of July, when the temperature hit 88 degrees 无毛视频� and admission was free 无毛视频� the pool reached capacity.
At Washington Park Pool, June saw 4,300 visitors, more than twice the number during the same period in 2023.
无毛视频淟ast summer, it didn无毛视频檛 get hot until mid- to- late June, then the smoke came down (from Canada无毛视频檚 fires) so we had Code Red air quality,无毛视频� said DeAnna Martin, Washington无毛视频檚 park director. 无毛视频淏y the time it did get hot, if we went Code Red, we closed. June, historically speaking, is our best month, and last year无毛视频檚 June was not the best month for us.无毛视频�
Chris Biswick, aquatics supervisor at Upper St. Clair无毛视频檚 Community and Recreation Center, said their numbers are also higher.
无毛视频淓ven after the Fourth of July, we are getting memberships, mainly for the outdoor pool,无毛视频� he said. Members also have access to the indoor pool, which is steps away from the outdoor pool. 无毛视频淲e tend to get less memberships after Memorial Day; however, we have been steady.无毛视频�
Likewise, David Donnellan, Director of Recreation for Mt. Lebanon Township, said Mt. Lebanon Swim Center无毛视频檚 numbers have been higher by about 5,000 people as of July 18.
Flatwoods Community Pool in Franklin Township, Fayette County, is seeing higher numbers as well, according to township Supervisor Tim Kelly.
Despite the increased volume of guests and elevated temperatures, pool directors reported no health-related heat incidents, and continue to keep a close eye on staff as well as patrons.
Hollandsworth purchased 1,400 Popsicles for the Canonsburg lifeguards at the start of the summer. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 constantly saying, 无毛视频楳ake sure you put on sunscreen, make sure you get in the water to cool down, make sure you are drinking.无毛视频� I kind of 无毛视频榤om无毛视频� them as well,无毛视频� she said.
无毛视频淟ifeguards are based on the square footage of your pool,无毛视频� noted Washington Park无毛视频檚 Martin. 无毛视频淎nd we would boost it by one so that the lifeguards were having a break more often 无毛视频� to give them some reprieve from the heat.无毛视频�
At Mt. Lebanon Swim Center, Donnellan said they try to give lifeguards more opportunities to get in the water to cool off. 无毛视频淲e add some short adult swims and safety breaks on busier days to give the kids a rest and staff a chance to more closely inspect the pool.无毛视频�
Moore, with the Greene County pools, said their strategy has been to shorten staff rotations so there are two or three extra lifeguards to decrease their time in the chair. 无毛视频淔or some reason, in Greene County, we have been very lucky. We无毛视频檝e had plenty of guards,无毛视频� he said.
Similarly, 无毛视频淲ith the increased number of people, we try to increase our staff,无毛视频� said Kelly, of the Flatwoods pool.
Concession stand sales also have been brisk.
无毛视频淚 think I was at Sam无毛视频檚 Club everyday,无毛视频� said Martin of the hot days in June.
And Moore said the Greene County venues无毛视频� concessions have been 无毛视频渟ky high.无毛视频�
无毛视频淲e are doing great with slushies and ice cream.无毛视频�