Sad news for sun lovers and those who enjoy lying out by the pool during the hot summer months. For the first time in its history the City of Smithville Swimming Pool will not be opening. Officials say the lack of available lifeguards and the cost of chemicals is forcing the pool not to open.

“We just didn’t have enough lifeguards,” said Smithville Golf Course and Pool Manager Jeania Cawthorn. “We only had 12, and last year was our first year having less than 20. We had 14, and were only open four days a week, and barely got by.”

Cawthorn said that despite pleas on social media and advertising, there just were not enough lifeguards to make opening the pool viable. “In the past we’ve needed 20-25 lifeguards to operate fully. I might have been able to have made it work with 15, but not with just 12.”

“It breaks my heart,” Cawthorn said. “This has been my passion the last 13 summers. When COVID hit, we had to shut it down early. We only had 14 lifeguards last year, and out of those 14 some had part-time jobs, and camps, and vacations. We just can’t make that work.”

According to Cawthorn, the daily cost of the pool and maintaining it, makes it hard to partially open with shortened hours. “Some suggested that we may just open four hours a day, but the city doesn’t want that. They want to be able to open full-time, all week long.”

Cawthorn said that with the cost of chemicals per day for the pool, plus pay for the lifeguards, it’s not economically feasible to open the pool with shortened hours. “I’ve tried my best to recruit lifeguards. I’ve taken some on my own time and my own gas money to classes to get certified. I’ve tried everything in my power.”

Cawthorn believes that the low pay coupled with the time and dedication to be a lifeguard has deterred some from working. “It’s a big responsibility and you have to put in a lot of hard work, for not a lot of pay. I’ve had many people call about being a lifeguard, but once you tell them what is involved and about taking the classes, there’s just no interests.”

“We usually use about eight lifeguards a day and always get there before the public does. They clean the pool, check the chemicals, and then stay afterwards and clean up.

“I want to thank all the lifeguards and parents who helped last year and those who were willing to help this year,” she said.