No pools this summer in Hammond

Photo: iStock

HAMMOND, IN (FOX 32 NEWS) - The city of Hammond, IN has announced that all public pools will be closed for the summer season due to emergency safety concerns.

The city has four public swimming pools in total, none of which will be open. Each pool will require close to one million dollars in repairs.

Mark Heintz, the Hammond Parks Department Administrator says “The repairs, even if started today, would to be able to be completed in time for the swimming season, so we have no option but to close them.”

The public pools have experienced a declining attendance over the past several years – only 949 residents bought passes in the 2016 season.

“The upside is that this gives us this year to determine whether we need any pools in the city or if we should start looking at other recreational opportunities in these areas of the city and invest in something new” Mayor Thomas M. McDermott commented. 

A water-friendly alternative for Hammond residents this summer will be the Wolf Lake Splash Pad available for $1 on weekdays and $2 weekend admissions for residents.