Lake Co. pools on countdown to splashdown
Dig out your swim suits and slap on your favorite flip- flops this Memorial Day weekend because Lake County's swimming pools are opening to the public.
Pools in Grayslake, Vernon Hills, Mundelein, Lake Zurich and Hawthorn Woods are among those that open Saturday.
To prepare for another year of splashing, area park district staffs spent this week making final preparations.
At Grayslake's Esper A. Peterson's Family Aquatic Center, visitors can look forward to a new climbing wall, as well as a freshly cleaned water park.
The center's 75 staff members consist of managers, lifeguards, administration members, concession workers and swim instructors. Lifeguards help out by doing everything from cleaning the pool's deck chairs to putting together membership packets.
The lifeguards are not only working hard scrubbing away, they're attending 20 to 30 hours of CPR and lifeguard training before the start of the season, says Michael May, an aquatic manager at the Grayslake facility.
Lifeguards have been training two to three hours per night since May 12. Sometimes they have also given up some of their Saturdays and Sundays to prepare for their summer lifesaving jobs.
"Lifeguards keep up with their lifeguard skills during the summer by completing at least four hours of in-service training a month," May said. In-service training consists of backboard exercises in case of back or neck injuries, refreshing CPR skills and life guarding skills.
At the Vernon Hills Family Aquatic Center, college-age staff are cleaning the pool areas, filling up lazy river tubes, filling out papers and files. Vernon Hills is also power washing all the pool decks.
Jason Bullman, aquatic supervisor at Vernon Hills, said power washing makes everything look fresh and new.
Vernon Hills' lifeguards are also in the process of being re-certified. They're completing training scenarios, working with Automated External Defibrillators, practicing CPR and learning first aid skills.
"We are integrating old and new techniques so our lifeguards know how to work as a team," Bullman said. "Throughout the summer, especially during hot days, heat exhaustion and sun poisoning are more common, so those days we typically refresh our lifeguards of what to do for those particular scenarios."
Lifeguards may not have to test their heat-related skills so early in the season, but Bullman is hopeful for a warm weekend.
"During Memorial Day weekend, it's tough to gauge the weather," he said, adding they are planning for a turnout of 500 to 1,000 people on Saturday.
Fun in the water
Grab your towel and head over to these area pools and water parks this weekend. Just hope for warm weather and no rain.
• Grayslake: The Esper A. Petersen Family Aquatic Center is open daily from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. If you come after 6 p.m., children and seniors can pay $4 instead of the usual daytime fee of $8 and $5 for adults instead of their usual daytime fee of $10.
• Gurnee: Six Flags Hurricane Harbor 2008, I 94 and Grand Avenue, opens Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pool goers can get wet and wild on one of the 13 water slides, plunge into a simulated ocean at Hurricane Bay or enjoy many other water attractions.
• Hawthorn Woods: Hawthorn Woods Aquatic Center will be open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends starting Saturday. The water park features a six lane, 25-yard competition pool as well as a separate diving well, two water slides, and spray features.
• Independence Grove: Independence Grove's 400-foot sandy beach, operated by the Lake County's Forest Preserve District, will be open weekends only from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until June 9. The beach is located on Buckley Road off of Route 137. Washrooms, showers and lockers are available at this facility.
• Lake Zurich: At the grand opening of the new Sprayground at Paulus Park this Saturday, visitors can enjoy free giveaways, entertainment and attend a ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and admission is free.
• Mundelein: Located at 1401 N. Midlothian Road, Barefoot Bay's Family Aquatic Center is ready for pool goers starting this Saturday. Pass holders can enter an hour early of regular admission times which are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Diamond Lake Beach is kicking off its first wake board competition and demo when it opens on May 31, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free before 2 p.m.
• Vernon Hills: The Family Aquatic Center is open daily and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Family Aquatic Center features tube slides, lap lanes, a 700-foot lazy river and an upcoming holiday cookout on May 28 from noon to 3 p.m.