With warm summer days ahead, many Jacksonville residents want to cool off in one of the many community pools across the area.
The pools were opened earlier this month, but when News4JAX checked them on Monday, we found pools shuttered and even one with green water.
Half the city pools are now closed and the city said repairs and staffing shortages are to blame.
The city said there are more than 100 vacant lifeguard positions, but some pools are also in disrepair, like the one in Sunny Acres Park in Arlington that neighbors said has been shuttered for years.
According to the City of Jacksonville, 16 public pools are closed for now while 18 others are open to the public.
A spokesperson said five pools are closed for repairs, two are closed due to staffing shortages and nine others are closed due to a combination of both issues. The pool at Sunny Acres is among the latter. A renovation project there is underway to create a destination for those with disabilities.
“There are all kinds of cracks and faults and things of sorts. It does make me wonder if it is their initiative to fix, or put a new one in,” said resident Nate Price.
The surrounding structures are in really bad shape.
A doorframe is totally rotted out. The doorknob is rusted shut. A chainlink fence has been ripped back on the side of the pool house and inside there are a bunch of life jackets strewn about with beer cans and other debris. The side of the wall looks like it’s falling apart.
Price said if the pool was cleaned up, people would use it.
“It’s in a secure area. It’s safe,” Price said.
The pool at nearby Woodland Acres has algae at the bottom.
A city spokesperson said it was caused by inconsistent chlorine levels earlier this month. The city said it is working to remove it and pool service mechanics are troubleshooting the cause and working to fix and replace infrastructure to correct the issue. The goal is to have it back open by this weekend.
Terry Parker High School, where the pool water is also green, is on the list of pools closed for repairs.
No word yet on when all the other pools that are closed for now will be back open.
Pools currently close for maintenance or staffing issues in Jacksonville
R= Repair/Maintenance
S=Staffing
Baldwin Middle/High School: RRobert Kennedy Pool: RSan Souci Pool (Adolph Wurn Park): RTerry Parker High School: RCarvill Park Pool: SCharles Clark Pool: R/SEd White High School: R/SEmmett Reed Pool: REnglewood High School: R/SEugene Butler Pool: SGolfair Park Pool (C.T. Brown): R/SHighlands Middle School: R/SMallison Park Pool: R/SPaxon High School: R/SRaines High School: R/SSunny Acres Pool: Overall Park renovation project to create a destination location for citizens with disabilities, R/S