Lifeguard shortage leads to early seasonal closure for Madrona Beach
Aug 23, 2022, 5:50 PM
Photo from Flickr
Most local outdoor pools and beaches will close for the season after Labor Day — but in Seattle, lifeguard staffing shortages are shaking the schedule up a little.
Seattle’s Madrona Beach is now closed for the summer because it does not have enough lifeguards.
Seattle Parks and Recreation said much of its Madrona Beach lifeguard staff are students who are now heading back to college.
To make up for this early closure, Seattle is keeping its spray parks at Highland Park, Northacres Park, and Pratt Playground open until September 18.
All other Seattle beaches and outdoor pools that have been open this summer will stay open through Labor Day.
This comes after the city had to opt not to open certain beaches at the beginning of the summer due to a shortage of lifeguards. Matthews Beach, Seward Park Beach, and East Green Lake Beach all remained closed to swimming and other water sports this summer.
“Next summer, Seattle Parks and Recreation hopes to resume summer aquatics at our pre-pandemic schedules,” Seattle Parks and Rec said in a press release. “We are still actively hiring lifeguards to staff our indoor pools and teach lessons.”
The department is reopening three indoor pools after refurbishment — Evans Pool at Green Lake, Queen Anne Pool, and Medgar Evers Pool in the Central District — for swimming, lessons, and programming the week of September 19.
For more information on aquatics scheduling, visit Seattle Parks and Recreation’s website.
