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Needham Park and Rec delays pool opening; spring program revenue and staffing mostly on track
Summary
Staff reported a delayed pool opening due to cold water and ongoing weather, program revenue of about $41,000 through May 15, and near-full seasonal staffing though some last-minute changes require minor backfilling.
Park and Recreation staff told commissioners May 21 that pool opening scheduled for the coming weekend would be delayed because water temperatures and staffing checks had not yet reached safe operational levels; staff said they planned to open by Monday at the latest.
Stacy reported program revenue of about $41,000 for May 1–15 (excluding passes), with seasonal pass sales running at roughly half of last year’s pace at the time of the report but expected to increase with the pool opening and nonresident membership interest. Staff said some outdoor lesson registrations and swim-team enrollments were progressing well; swim team numbers looked strong and some lessons might need caps to ensure appropriate instruction.
On staffing, the department said it was largely fully hired but saw a handful of last-minute guard cancellations and schedule changes that will require minor backfilling. Staff described this year’s lifeguard roster as their largest in recent memory, while also noting the practical challenge of covering vacations and limited availability for some hires.
Staff also reported field prep and capital repairs in progress and noted that tournaments scheduled for the weekend could be affected by weather. Several maintenance items — playground repairs, a double slide part, and other equipment orders — are in process or pending delivery.
