YOUNGSTOWN City to close pools due to lower temps

The two pools had 747 children and adults Wednesday and had 12 people all of Sunday.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- It was nice, while it lasted.
But the clouds have rolled in, temperatures have settled back to seasonal norms, and it's time for Youngstown's youth to climb out of the pool after a week's reprieve.
Today is the last day for swimming at North and Borts pools, a week longer than first planned.
Deciding to close the pools was as easy as the decision last week to extend the season, said Margaret Kane, the city parks department administrative assistant.
The forecast for today through the week's end shows mostly clouds and temperatures in the mid-70s to near 80 degrees, hardly race-to-the-pool weather.
"The heat wave is over," Kane said.
That wasn't the case a week ago. A string of 85- to 95-degree temperature days and a forecast for at least several more of the same preceded the decision to keep pools open.
Indeed, on Wednesday and Thursday temperatures hit 95 and 94 degrees. Consequently, the two pools had 747 children and adults on Wednesday and 524 on Thursday.
Temperatures, however, dropped into the lower 80s over the weekend and there was rain Sunday. Pool use dropped to 102 people Friday, 197 Saturday and just 12 people all of Sunday.
Nonetheless, there was no regret in extending the season a whole week, Kane said, which cost the city about $10,000, not including maintenance.
Keeping workers: Other communities keep their pools open through Labor Day, but the city traditionally closes around mid-August. So does the city summer playground program. It's hard to keep lifeguards and playground directors through the month, Kane said.
Most Ohio college students are on semesters instead of quarters and they prepare in mid-month to return to school, Kane said. The start of football practice in August also reduces the number of students available to work, she said.
The city has a hard time finding anybody by the last week in August, she said.
rgsmith@vindy.com