Boys and Girls Club will help city provide life guards for Jones Park Pool

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - The City of Lufkin said in the past they’ve tried to do the hiring of lifeguards for the pool at Jones Park, but they do not have the means to certify lifeguards. City officials said this presented a challenge. Now, the city is partnering with the Boys and Girls Club because the club can hire and certify guards.

“You have to have a pool supervisor, you have to have lifeguards. And to make sure everything goes smoothly. That way, you know, the part from the City is the monetary part, but The Boys and Girls club will make sure the services are offered to the community,” Shankle said.

The city will pay the Boys and Girls Club $19,500 annually and will continue pool maintenance.

“The city has been very supportive in making sure that we try to open the pool every year. You know, for one instance one year we couldn’t get lifeguards. You know the next year we waited too late to get the parts in and it didn’t open,” Shankle said.

Shankle said the free public pool has been around for years, and is a landmark in the city.

“The Boys and Girls Club will make sure that it opens. And the city is going to do their part to make sure everything is functional to open, so it’s a great partnership showing that the entire city is coming together to make sure that one pool is open for everyone,” Shankle said.

Shankle said the Jones Park Pool will be open starting May 31, 2021.