LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — With the car packed up and the swimsuits on, some were ready to hit the pool at Frances Slocum State Park in Kingston Township.
Unfortunately, it's not available this Wednesday afternoon. A sign on the gate reads "Open Weekends Only."
"We work on weekends, so we come here on the weekdays. So it's that free days for us. So that's why we came, but it's closed," said Marta Martinez, who was here with her family.
Officials inside the park office say the limited schedule at the pool is because of a lifeguard shortage.
Marta's family drove from Hazleton to cool off, only to have a moment to stretch their legs and get back in the car.
"It's almost an hour, 40 minutes," she explained.
John Cordora says he's also disappointed with the pool hours.
"Frances Slocum Park is a beautiful place, but I think it's a terrible disservice to the taxpayers that they can't swim at during the week at Frances Slocum," said Cordora.
Cordora says this pool isn't only important for recreation but for health reasons too. He says he's relied on it for exercise for more than 40 years.
"Aren't there some retired Navy SEALs out there? Or somebody that's retired from the Navy that's in their 40s or 50s that are still fit and certified to be guards," said Cordora.
The hourly wage for a lifeguard is more than $15 an hour, with paid training.
"in a county of 350,000 people, I think they need to think outside the box," said Cordora. "To get more lifeguards so that Frances Slocum could be open during the week."
If you would like to apply to be a lifeguard for the DCNR and work at a state park pool, you can learn how to apply by clicking here.
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