HOUSTON – UPDATE: This story has been revised to reflect late Friday changes by the City of Houston to open only eight instead of 10 pools this weekend, due to lifeguard staffing issues.
In recent years, Houston’s public pool system has been confounded by the pandemic, storm damage, and a nationwide lifeguard shortage, but things are looking up.
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The city will open 8 of 37 pools beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. Those same start time apply Sunday and Monday. The pools will close at 7 p.m. on Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday, and 5 p.m. on Monday.
“First time in about four years we’ve been able to successfully get all of our pools evaluated for the summer season and the hopes is that we’re going to open all 37 pools by the end of the summer,” Prentiss Collins, Jr., Houston Parks and Recreation Department Deputy Director, said. “You know we do have a rotation of putting them online but as Director Allen said you know it’s a new time, it’s new phase, you know COVID has passed and things are getting back to normal. People want to be outside again and what better way to deal with heat then getting into the pool.”
Collins said the pools would close temporarily right after Memorial Day, with a grand summer re-opening around June 10th, with many more pools opening to the public.
A public information officer added later Friday that some pools may re-open after the holiday as early as May 31.
