7 city pools not yet open for summer

Jacksonville says one will not open at all this summer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On these record-breaking hot days, many hope to cool off by taking advantage of one of the 33 public pools in Jacksonville. But in some neighborhoods, that’s not happening. 

On the first week of summer break for Duval County students, seven pools in the city are not open. The city says two of those should open this month and four more in July. One pool will not open at all this year.

The Julius Guinyard pool on Jefferson Street, just north of downtown, is one that is still shuttered. Nearby residents are not happy about that because they say the pool was remodeled last year and is still having problems.

Darnell Whitfield said it appears the city is ignoring his neighborhood because it's a predominately black community.

“Another summer and it’s 100 degrees (and) it's still not being utilized,” Whitfield said.

The city of Jacksonville responded Tuesday afternoon to a request on the status of the closed pools. It said a structural issue at the Guinyard pool has been addressed and workers are re-marciting the pool's surface due to cracking. It is one of the pools due to open next month. 

Others tell News4Jax it’s Important to get all of the pools open.

Lauri Lewis can’t understand the delays since the city has been working on the issue for some time.

“All these kids need to be able to go swimming and have something to do," Lewis said. "If not, they’re just going to hang out on the street."

One of the city's pools, Sunny Acres on Merrill Road, won’t be open at all this season due to a major renovation at the site. But when News4Jax visited the site Tuesday, there was no visible sign indicating why or how long it would be closed, just a locked gate and a pool beyond the fence with slightly green water. 

City update on six pools scheduled to open this summer

Pool

Repair project

Anticipated opening

Notes

Eartha Napoleon Pool (Harts Road)

New pool motor

June 2019

Awaiting specialty parts

Ed White Pool

Filter Tank repair

July 2019

Awaiting specialty parts

Englewood Pool

Infrastructure repair

July 2019

N/A

Julius Guinyard Pool

Marcite repair

July 2019

Structural issue resolved due to the pool being above ground.  Previously closed as a safety precaution.  Structural issue has been addressed, now we are re-marciting the interior pool surface due to cracking

Oceanway Pool

New pool motor

June 2019

Set to open this weekend

Robert F. Kennedy Pool

Infrastructure repair

July 2019

Main drain replacement


About the Author:

Jim Piggott is the reporter to count on when it comes to city government and how it will affect the community.