Lifeguard services reduced to three Minneapolis beaches
Posted on 31 July, 2020The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board announced today that due to a lifeguard staffing shortage, it will be reducing lifeguard services from five beaches to three as of Friday, July 31.
The three beaches that will continue to have lifeguard services are:
Lifeguards will be on duty from noon to 7 pm, seven days a week. If the temperature is 85 degrees or warmer at 6 pm, lifeguards will stay on duty until 8 pm.
“While we are disappointed that we cannot continue lifeguard services at all five beaches through mid-August as we would in a typical year, we are grateful to have enough staff to guard these three beaches,” said Assistant Superintendent of Recreation Tyrize Cox.
Cox added that the aquatics department has been trying to hire additional lifeguards all summer but have reached a point where hiring additional staff is no longer feasible.
“Unfortunately, this late in the season we have run out of time to hire, train and certify new staff,” she said.
Lifeguard services at Bde Maka Ska Thomas Beach, Nokomis Main Beach and Wirth Lake Beach will continue through Labor Day.