Chicago Park District to open 37 indoor, outdoor pools by July 5, limit access to some beaches

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Park District announced Tuesday it is planning to open 37 indoor and outdoor pools across the city by July 5. But some beaches will close so that lifeguards can move to the pools.

Three beach areas, including parts of North Avenue and Calumet as well as the entire 12th Street Beach, will close after July 4.

"Extremely disappointing, extremely. Sad," beach-goer Cheryl Peterson said. "It's a gorgeous beach."

Park district officials were hoping to hire enough lifeguards to open all the pools, but despite incentives, they have only been able to fill a little more than half the lifeguard jobs they need. So they can only open about half the pools.

"We understand your frustration," Chicago Park District Supt. Rosa Escareno said. "We are right there with you."

The Wrightwood pool in the Lakeview neighborhood is one that is slated to remain closed when pools open on July 5. The park district plans to open 37 neighborhood pools across the city, including 15 indoor and 22 outdoor pools. They say a pool will be open within two miles of almost every resident.

"It was our goal to try to get as many residents to a pool this summer, making sure they had a pool close to their home," Escareno said.

Escareno said they will continue to try to recruit lifeguards throughout the next couple months, and if they are able to add more, they say they will open more pools and possibly reopen the beaches.

"It's unfortunate," beach-goer Christian Uruena said. "It's one of the good beaches. Hope they reconsider it."

When the beach closes, you can still use the sand, but the park district wants to make sure you stay out of the water.

Full list of Chicago Park District Pools opening by July 5

-Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St. in the Austin community

-Avalon Park, 1215 E. 83rd St. in the Avalon community

-Avondale Park, 3516 W. School St. in the Avondale community

-Blackhawk Park, 2318 N. Lavergne Ave. in the Belmont Cragin community

-California Park, 3843 N. California Ave. in the Irving Park community

-Carver Park, 939 E. 132nd St. in the Riverdale community

-Chase Park, 4701 n. Ashland Ave. in the Uptown community

-Davis Square, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave. in the New City community

-Douglass, 1401 S. Sacramento Ave. in the North Lawndale community

-Eckhart Park, 1330 W. Chicago Ave. in the West Town community

-Ellis Park, 3520 S. Cottage Grove Ave. in the Douglas community

-Fernwood Park, 10436 S. Wallace Ave. in the Roseland community

-Fosco Park, 1312 S. Racine Ave. in the Near West community

-Foster Park, 1440 W. 84th St. in the Auburn Gresham community

-Gompers Park, 4222 W. Foster Ave in the North Park community

-Hale Park, 6258 W. 62nd St. in the Clearing community

-Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72nd St. in the Englewood community

-Hayes Park, 2936 W. 85th St. in the Ashburn community

-Holstein Park, 2200 N. Oakley Ave. in the Logan Square community

-Homan Square Park, 3559 W. Arthington in the North Lawndale community

-Humboldt Park, 1400 N. Humboldt Blvd. in the Humboldt Park community

-Kennedy Park, 11320 S. Western Ave. in the Morgan Park community

-Lafollette Park, 1333 N. Laramie Ave. in the Austin community

-Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave. in the West Englewood community

-Mann Park, 3035 E. 130th St. in the Hegewisch community

-McGuane Park, 2901 S. Poplar Ave. in the Bridgeport community

-McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd. in the McKinley Park community

-Nash Community Center Park, 1833 E. 71st St. in the South Shore community

-Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave. in the Norwood Park community

-Ogden Park, 6500 S. Racine Ave. in the West Englewood community

-Piotrowski Park, 4247 W. 31st St. in the South Lawndale community

-Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave. in the Portage Park community

-Pulaski Park, 1419 W. Blackhawk St. in the West Town community

-River Park, 5100 N. Francisco Ave. in the Albany Park community

-Shabbona Park, 6935 W. Addison Ave. in the Dunning community

-Taylor Park, 39 W. 47th St.in the Grand Boulevard community

-Trumbull Park, 2400 E. 105th St. in the South Deering community