“It is looking to be a great summer with Boulder Parks and Recreation!”

Boulder Parks and Recreation will bring back its summer pools and other summer services after off-season recruitment efforts brought in an influx of staff.

While the department is still feeling the effects of a nationwide labor shortage, according to a news release, they expect to have their highest service level since 2019.

Several pools in the Boulder area, including Spruce Pool — which has been closed since 2020 — will be open this summer after Boulder Parks and Rec hired more than 150 lifeguards, the most the department has ever hired for summer at one time, according to the release.

Scott Carpenter Pool’s lap lanes and splash pad opened Monday and its additional features will open May 27. Spruce Pool will open in mid-summer, with limited lap swimming and swim lessons, according to the release. 

North Boulder Recreation Center and East Boulder Community Center also have open pools. The hours for all pools can be found on the City of Boulder website’s Aquatics and Facility Status page. 

Other services will start again after being on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic as well. The North Boulder Recreation Center’s gymnastics staff will offer birthday party packages again and Flatirons Golf Course, partnered with Optimum Golf, will soon offer golf instruction for adults and children, according to the release.

“We have worked hard across the department to recruit enough people to host a safe and fun summer,” Ali Rhodes, the Parks and Recreation director, said in the release. “Our ‘summer squad’ team has helped us recruit a record number of lifeguards and many community members to work in our parks and at our summer camps.”

Boulder Parks and Rec is still hiring for positions such as camp counselors and lifeguards. Their jobs are great for people of all ages and include first jobs for younger community members, with positions open for people as young as 14, according to the release.

Their payrates are as follows.

• Camp counselors: $17/hour
• Lifeguards: $16.50/hour
• Athletic program supervisors: $18.30/hour

Anyone interested in working for Boulder Parks and Rec this summer can see job listings on their website at BPRjobs.org.