Rochester pools closed over safety concerns
Citing safety issues, the City of Rochester announced Wednesday it would be closing Soldiers Field Pool and delaying the opening of Silver Lake Pool.
The city says the pools will remain shut down until staff can “work with community partners to address safety concerns that have arisen over the past few days.” Some of the problems that have come up, according to the city, include “fights, pushing, children being left unattended, lack of attention to the lifeguards and general disregard for pool rules.”
The closing of the pools comes amid a heat wave in southeast Minnesota — with daytime temperatures reaching the 90s. Photos posted online showed hundreds of people packed into the facilities in recent days.
“We appreciate the community’s excitement about the aquatic offerings this year,” said Parks Director Paul Widman. “We know that our area pools and beaches provide residents an opportunity to stay cool and enjoy time outside in the water. However, the occurrences of the past few days requires us to temporarily close and take the time needed to address the issues being experienced. Safety of everyone is our top priority.”
The city says it has tried working with local swim club partners to address the issues by limiting attendance and enacting a reservation system. It says the temporary closure and delay will allow time for the group to “develop strategies that allow for planning, staffing and operational procedures of the pools that helps ensure consistent safety for all.”
The city has no shared a timetable for when the public can expect the pools to reopen. Last month, the City Council approved the use of federal relief funds to make the pools free to the public for the entire summer.
