State doles out grants to keep community pools afloat
Jul. 1—Gov. Jared Polis announced a wave of grant dollars for public pools across the state on Thursday, including those in Boulder, Broomfield and Longmont.
In total, 71 public entities such as Boulder received grants to help recruit, train and retain lifeguards, in particular.
"We are working with local communities to get more pools open and expand hours with support for increased pay, more work flexibility, and helping train more lifeguards," Polis said in a news release Thursday.
In its grant application, Boulder asked for $25,000 — the maximum amount allowed per local government — and received it.
Boulder has two outdoor swimming facilities, Spruce Pool, 2102 Spruce St., and Scott Carpenter Pool, 1505 30th St., in addition to three indoor pools at its recreation centers.
Spruce Pool is closed because of staffing shortages and will remain that way this summer, according to city of Boulder Parks and Recreation Communications Program Manager Jonathan Thornton.
"We will encourage existing Boulder Parks and Rec lifeguards to work additional hours so we can add additional swim times at our currently open indoor pools at North Boulder Rec Center and East Boulder Community Center," Thornton said in an email Friday. "Our priority with the state grant money is to increase swim time availability at these open pools as we aren't planning to open Spruce Pool, which has been closed for the summer."
Boulder also intends to provide lifeguards who stay on through the week of Labor day a $1 an hour bonus, Thornton said.
The bonus will be added on to an employee's paycheck in September and will be an extra dollar for every hour they worked from July 1 to Sept. 6.
The city also plans to provide a $100 referral incentive to staff members.
After a new hire works their first 50 hours, they will receive the $100 bonus as well as the employee who referred them to the city.
Longmont, which was forced to close Kanemoto and Roosevelt activity pools this summer, also because of staffing shortages, received $12,500 from the grant program.
The city's website on Friday still listed both pools as closed for the remainder of the year.
A Longmont spokesperson was not immediately available for comment Friday.
In addition to Boulder and Longmont, Broomfield ($12,500), Erie ($7,000), Lafayette ($12,500), Louisville ($15,000) and several other towns and cities in the region were also grant recipients.
Abby Yellman, Broomfield assistant city and county manager, said in an email Friday that Broomfield was not immune to staffing shortages and would put its grant dollars toward hiring and retaining more lifeguards.
Applications were reviewed and decided upon by staff members from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the Office of Economic Development, the International Trade's Outdoor Recreation Industry Office and the Governor's office.
More than $800,000 was awarded in total grant dollars to community pools.
