NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Officials announced they will open city splash pads, yet they will only be able to staff two of three pools.
Officials plan to use the shut down pool to their advantage for the future.
"It's really important to keep our kids engaged," Niagara Falls City School District superintendent Mark Laurrie said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
Niagara Falls City officials, announcing summer openings for kids to stay cool for the summer. The city hired closed to 8 or 9 lifeguards, according to Mayor Restaino.
Niagara Falls Mayor Restaino said, "We've been fortunate to be able to get some lifeguards. I know that's a difficulty across Western New York. In fact, it's a difficulty all across America."
Two of three of its public pools will open Thursdays through Sunday, from 11a.m. to 4 p.m., at the 91st Street location and Center Court location.
Mayor Restaino said,"Our pool at Hyde Park, while we were not able to get sufficient lifeguards for that pool, will undergo about a million dollars worth of improvements that need to be made to that pool, so that we're up and ready to go next year. Lifeguard permitting."
Additionally, the city is opening a splash pad after officials were unable have them.
Mayor Restaino said, "There's a splash pad that will be able to be open at Hyde Park. The hours will be the same as the pools. A new splash pad is going to be installed over at the Center Court area."
"First of all, our kids are the same kids. The city kids, the school district kids, are all the same kids. What we need out of this pandemic is engagement, activity and an extra set of eyes looking at kids. That's how you come out of trauma," Laurrie said.
Here are updates on other pools in Western New York.
In West Seneca, city officials have shared that it will close it is only pool, Veterans Park Pool. The new splash pad next to it will not.
In the Town of Cheektowaga, both Kenmore Pool and Lincoln Pools have opened for the summer. Four to five lifeguards have been staffed.
