New aquatics supervisor outlines staffing, lesson figures and outreach plans

Denzel Flowers, the newly appointed aquatics program supervisor, told the Inver Grove Heights Parks and Recreation Commission that the aquatics operation staffs roughly 75 to 90 people seasonally and has hired about 21 employees in the last two months across roles from aquatic manager to lifeguard and birthday‑party host. "We house anywhere between 75 to 90 staff, depending on the season of the year," Flowers said.

Flowers outlined the department’s onboarding and training program. Applicants are vetted through NeoGov, interviewed in person and complete on‑the‑job shadow shifts; lifeguards must also maintain a minimum of four hours of in‑service training per year, delivered as weekly or biweekly sessions in summer and as a full training day in the winter. He noted an in‑service day is scheduled for the 15th (Saturday) to rehearse drills and rescue skills.

Turning to participation and revenue, Flowers provided year‑over‑year numbers: the department has 393 swim lessons planned for the current season and reported about 1,766 participants in those lessons so far. "We're counting the lessons themselves of the class, yes, and then the participants that go inside the class," Flowers explained when commissioners asked how counts are recorded; class sizes typically range from a minimum of three to a maximum of eight.

Birthday parties and private lessons are important revenue lines, Flowers said. He reported roughly 266 birthday‑party bookings with about 6,025 attendees year‑to‑date and said private lessons were reintroduced in late fall to test community interest. He also said open‑swim admissions for 2024 totaled just under 80,000 entries, a figure extrapolated from guest‑services front‑desk admissions.

Commissioners pressed Flowers on outreach and adult programming. He said the department offers adult swim lessons and that lifeguard certification courses run at the facility are open to the public. Recreation Superintendent Julie Dorsick added the city has run water‑safety days in the past, noted the department provides scholarship support (a percentage‑based program partially funded by t‑shirt sales and an American Legion Club donation), and said staff is open to coordinating with the school district to broaden access.

Flowers also described program goals, including creating a teen swim club to bridge the gap between younger lessons and formal swim‑team practices and exploring replacement or new water‑park features in 2026 if city funding and approvals allow. He highlighted recent lifeguard competition successes — the department’s teams placed in regional events and completed complex emergency‑response scenarios — as evidence of operational and training strength.

The commission encouraged Flowers to continue reporting back as programming develops and to pursue partnerships that increase water‑safety access in the community.