Three Milwaukee area pools won’t open this summer due to budget shortfalls.
Milwaukee County will open seven pools this summer, but three will remain closed: the Hales Corner, McCarty and Washington Park pools. The county will open its splashpads and wading pools.
A total of 130 lifeguards will fully staff the seven pools that are opening, but a lack of lifeguards isn’t solely to blame for the other pools staying closed, according to Andrea Wallace, the county’s assistant director of recreation and business services.
“That is a large investment with the training and certifying of lifeguards,” she said.
But other expenses, including other staff and the cost of cleaning, maintenance and utilities are also a factor in keeping some pools shut, she said.
Why is the Washington Park pool closed?
The pool has high maintenance costs and low attendance. It has been closed since 2019, but is being reimagined.
Wallace said a 2025 aquatic study recommended the county add another aquatic amenity. That study calls for the pool to get a destination splash pad.
Why is McCarty pool closed?
The county doesn’t have the budget to open every pool. As a result, Pelican Cove and McCarty alternate between being opened and closed each year. This year is McCarty’s turn to be closed.
The county plans to repair a slide at McCarty while it is closed for the summer.
Why is Hale’s Corner pool closed?
The county is looking for a group to help Hale’s Corner pool as a third-party partner. The pool has been closed since the summer of 2020, according to the Friends of the Hales Corners Park & Pool website.
“We have a few feelers out there and drummed up some interest,” Wallace said. “We would love to have the word reach further that we are looking for a partner.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: These three Milwaukee area pools won’t open this summer. Here’s why
Reporting by Blaise Mesa, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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