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Phoenix plans to open 24 pools this summer and expand swim lessons as lifeguard staffing grows
Summary
The parks department told the board it will open 24 pools for the 2026 season, is hiring and training lifeguards and assistant managers, and will offer over 13,000 swim‑lesson slots and expanded weekend lessons; partners including Ability360 and several corporate sponsors will support access and affordability.
Becky Kurt, aquatics supervisor for the City of Phoenix, told the Parks Board the department expects to open 24 pools this summer — 23 operated by the city and one operated under a partnership with Ability360 — after hiring and training new assistant managers and lifeguards.
Kurt said the department’s 2025 aquatics programs served more than 288,000 visitors and provided more than 13,000 participants with swim lessons. The city’s inventory includes 29 pools; five sites have been identified for conversion to neighborhood splash pads as part of a GO bond program, and two regional pools (Mbell and Harmon) will be renovated as part of broader improvements.
“Preparation for the 2026 season began in March of 2025 with enhanced training for our assistant managers, pool managers, and lifeguard certification courses,” Becky Kurt said, adding that accelerated promotion opportunities and a reinstated junior lifeguard program are part of the strategy to build the lifeguard pipeline.
The department said it hired nine new managers and 22 assistant managers over the offseason and will continue to use recruitment strategies such as outreach to high schools, colleges, community events and social media. A shallow‑water lifeguard role introduced in 2023 will continue to provide an entry path for candidates who later qualify for deep‑water certification.
Partnerships will expand access and affordability. The Milwaukee Brewers and Salt River Project provided more than $70,000 combined to support the Pool Kids program, which lets children 17 and younger swim free at 20 city pools; the Diamondbacks, Presidential Pools and other partners support discounted swimming lessons. The city said swim lessons will be offered for ages 6 months to adults at a two‑week cost of $15 (about $1.88 per day), and additional Saturday lessons are planned for young non‑swimmers in August.
The 2026 open‑swim season runs May 23 through July 26, with extended weekend hours beginning Aug. 1 and several pools open through Labor Day weekend. Registration opened in waves beginning at noon on the meeting day.
Board members who commented praised the program and thanked staff; no board action was required.
