photo by: Kim Callahan

A sign advertising hiring for lifeguards is pictured outside of the Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Kentucky St., on June 3, 2022.

The Lawrence outdoor pool will open on Monday, a bit later than the traditional Memorial Day weekend opening and with more limited hours than in past years.

The Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Kentucky St., will be open Monday through Friday from 1 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. Lori Madaus, aquatics supervisor with the city, said the city is opening all facilities — the outdoor pool, indoor pool and the South Park wading pool — with limited hours so it can staff the pools safely. The wading pool opened June 1 and the Indoor Aquatics Center, 4706 Overland Drive, will shift to its summer hours beginning Monday. Hours for all pools are available on the city’s website, lawrenceks.org/lprd/aquatics/.

The city has had trouble hiring lifeguards, especially in the past couple of years, and this year the city increased pay and began the hiring process earlier than usual, as the Journal-World previously reported. Madaus previously said the city was hoping to hire 100 lifeguards for this summer, which would enable the city to not limit hours and reduce features at the pools. Madaus said Friday that the city is still taking lifeguard applications, though she did not specify how many more lifeguards the city is looking to hire.

Those interested in becoming a lifeguard can apply on the City of Lawrence jobs website, lawrenceks.org/jobs.