27 indoor pools will open 6-days a week, Humboldt Park Beach and 200+ water features and water playgrounds will be open for the 2025 season starting by June 21.
For the first time since 2020, the Chicago Park District’s 50 outdoor pools will be open 7-days a week to welcome patrons citywide, especially during those very hot summer days in Chicago. The 7-day operational schedule for outdoor pools starts Saturday, June 21st. Summer pool schedules will be available starting the week of June 16th. Pool hours will primarily run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We’re thankful to all of the strong swimmers that have joined our aquatics team this summer to help reach our goal of opening all outdoor and indoor pools for the start of the 2025 summer pools season,” said Chicago Park District Superintendent & CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. “Chicagoans can rely on parks to provide access to a vital resource during the hot summer months, while offering hundreds of lifeguards an important job in public service that equips them with strong work experience and essential lifesaving skills.”
In addition to outdoor pools, a total of 27 Indoor pools return to pre-pandemic operations offering swimming 6-days a week, starting June 21st. Citywide, our indoor pools will provide further access for swimming, in particular, for senior swim, lap, swim, and other types of specialized programs.
Some pool schedules may be adjusted as lifeguards return to school before Labor Day. Pools will operate between the hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the hottest times of the day. Residents are asked to check local pool swim schedules at their local park to learn specific hours of operation and for pool programs, including parent and child swim, open swim, lap-swim, senior swim, swim teams hours, and summer day camp visits, as these times will vary at each pool location. The pool schedules are available on at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/swimming-pools.
There are a total of 77 indoor and outdoor pools that will be monitored and maintained throughout the summer session. Pools may experience intermittent closures due to temporary maintenance repairs, and/or other emerging circumstances. Patrons should check the pool webpages regularly for any updates to the pools’ current swim status. We encourage our park patrons to assist in keeping our pools clean and accessible by disposing of trash in the receptacles provided and using waterproof swim pants on small children.
Successful Lifeguard Recruitment
While other larger park systems in the country continue to face lifeguard shortages, we are proud to count on a fully staffed aquatics team this summer. This year, the Park District received more than 3,000 lifeguard applications, exceeding last year's numbers. In fact, we received 55 percent more applications than in 2024. In order to be fully onboarded, lifeguard candidates are required to meet a rigorous swim test, be fully certified by the American Red Cross and be prepared to administer first aid to swimmers in need. During the valuable Red Cross training classes, lifeguard candidates are trained in first aid, CPR and AED, waterfront skills, bloodborne pathogens, asthma inhaler, epinephrine auto injector, and in administering emergency oxygen.
The Park District launched several initiatives starting in late 2023 to strengthen the lifeguard pipeline, including the Lifeguard Explorers Training Program, a swim program for 15- to 22-year-olds targeting pools in the South and West sides of the city. The Lifeguard Training Explorers Program provided participants with a $475 stipend to prepare for the Lifeguard Swim Test.
Significantly, this year seasonal lifeguards will be earning a higher wage. In 2025, the pay rate increased to $19.75 per hour. The Park District also established additional efforts to support seasonal lifeguard hiring, including:
• Offering Teen Opportunity Fairs in all 3 regions and conducting on-the-spot seasonal job interviews in communities;
• Covering the $400 cost of Seasonal Lifeguard CPR/Red Cross Certification requirement fees to eliminate economic barriers;
• Holding satellite large-scale onboarding processing events in all 3 regions for easy accessibility;
• Adding additional gender options on job applications to be more inclusive;
• Working closely with Chicago Public Schools, Chicago’s charter public schools, Chicago’s parochial schools, City Colleges of Chicago, the American Red Cross, and USA Swimming to host job fairs, water safety clinics and life-saving, emergency trainings focused on introducing the lifeguard employment opportunity to young adults.
Inland Beach Opens
The Humboldt Park beach, the only man-made inland beach, will also open on Saturday, June 21st. Opening the 22 beaches along the lakefront was the first phase of the beaches and pools season which started on May 23rd. All beaches, including the Humboldt Park Beach, are staffed and open daily, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., through Labor Day, Monday, September 1st. Beach goers can also access information on swim status by checking the flags at each beach and by visiting www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/beaches. Admission to Chicago’s beaches is free during the summer. For a list of locations and regular beach swim updates, visit the Park District website at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/beaches.
Water Spray Features
Chicagoans can also cool off at more than 200 water spray features and water playgrounds. The Park District has been activating these amenities for several weeks and these will all be ready for use by June 21st. Click the hyperlinks to access information about Water Spray Features and Water Playgrounds.