SCRANTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — In Lackawanna County, work is underway to get a new splash pad and renovated pool up and running this summer. But, they desperately need lifeguards to allow residents to enjoy it.
Eyewitness News visited McDade Park to take a look inside the new pool facility under construction.
Art Moran, Director of Parks and Recreation in Lackawanna County showed Eyewitness News what will be inside the pool house, once it opens this summer.
“This is the combination full-size bathrooms, the ladies’ room, and men’s room,” said Moran.
Now to the renovated pool, that goes from zero entry, or beach entry, to 8 feet deep.
“And of course, the handicapped accessibility was very important to us also,” Moran explained.
Moran says it’s great to see the entire project come to life.
“We will have full Internet access up here for people that just wanna come up and relax. We’re gonna try to get some cabanas up here so people can sit and sit out in the sun and enjoy it,” Moran continued.
Construction on the splash pad is complete and is set to open in mid-June. The driving force behind securing those grants was John Derenick of Taylor and his wife.
“You’ll see. That’ll drag the kids up here. I’ll bet you they’ll drag more over there than you’ll drag in the pool, maybe not in the beginning but you’ll see,” said Derenick.
“Families can have picnics here they can hike and bike and walk around and just enjoy the scenery and on top of that we have the pool and splash pad in the new facility. It just adds everything together,” said Commissioner Chris Chermak.
But before the splash pad and pool can open, the county needs more lifeguard applicants.
“It’s been hard to get lifeguards, but we solved that by entering into a contract with Red Cross,” said Commissioner Jerry Notarianni.
That contract will get new applicants CPR certified.
The starting rate is $15 an hour and if you’re already CPR certified, you’ll get reimbursed.
The pool at McDade Park hasn’t been open since 2019 and is estimated to open in mid-July.
“Economic development is driven by the quality of life so this is all a part of the whole plan to make Scranton Lackawanna County a better place,” said Notarianni.
For those interested in a job as a lifeguard, applications are available online.
