From Indiana Department of Natural Resources:
Most public swimming pools located in Indiana State Parks properties will open Memorial Day weekend if the required number of lifeguards can be recruited and certified for each respective park property.
Concession services will also be open at those pools.
The openings follow last year’s pool closures due to COVID-19.
Lifeguards are being recruited for pools at Brown County, Clifty Falls, McCormick’s Creek, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Turkey Run, and Versailles state parks, at Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber State Recreation Area), and for the aquatic centers at Prophetstown and O’Bannon Woods state parks. Lifeguards are also being recruited for the state park beach at Indiana Dunes. As their lifeguards return to school, the pools and swimming at Indiana Dunes State Park’s beach will likely close in August or only operate on weekends during that month.
The DNR welcomes back lifeguards who worked before last year’s closures and seeks to train new lifeguards. Lifeguard training includes virtual coursework followed by a water skills assessment test.
“Lifeguarding is a great way to spend a summer and find out what working at an Indiana State Park is like,” said Brandt Baughman, deputy director for operations for State Parks, who began his career as a lifeguard at Spring Mill State Park.
Lifeguard positions are open to applicants age 16 and older. For more information, contact the state park property nearest you that is listed above. State Parks property phone numbers are listed at stateparks.IN.gov under “Find a park”.
The pools at Mounds and Harmonie state parks will not open this year. DNR is evaluating whether reopening the existing aquatic facility at each is the best option at those respective state parks or if another type of water feature for guests and the respective communities would be more efficient and appropriate.
Beaches will open for swimming on Memorial Day weekend at Chain O’Lakes, Indiana Dunes, Lincoln, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Summit Lake, and Whitewater Memorial state parks, at Starve Hollow and Deam Lake SRAs, at Brookville, Cagles Mill (Lieber SRA), Cecil M. Harden (Raccoon SRA), Hardy, Mississinewa, Monroe, Patoka, and Salamonie lakes, and at Ferdinand State Forest.
The aquatic center at Abe Martin Lodge at Brown County State Park and the pools at Clifty Inn (Clifty Falls State Park), Potawatomi Inn (Pokagon State Park), Spring Mill Inn (Spring Mill State Park), and Turkey Run Inn (Turkey Run State Park) will continue to remain open for guests at each inn while in compliance with any COVID-19 restrictions.
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