Dunworth Pool.

DEARBORN — “It’s a common bond that all the neighborhoods and residents share across the city. It’s something that generations now go through,” said Assistant Aquatics Supervisor Joe Robar about Dearborn’s neighborhood outdoor pools.

The neighborhood pools have been a city treasure for decades. Longtime residents will tell you they used to swim at their local pool when they were children and now look forward to bringing their kids to the very same pool where they’d spent their memorable childhood summers. 

The city currently operates four outdoor neighborhood pools; Lapeer, Ford Woods, Ten Eyck and Summer Stephens. Additionally, the Aquatics and Parks Department manages two larger outdoor swimming pool facilities: Dunworth, located at Levagood Park, and Camp Dearborn in Milford.

The Ford Community and Performing Arts Center also houses a large indoor pool facility that includes a lazy river and a slide. In total, about 90 employees help operate Dearborn’s swimming pools. All of the lifeguards hired into the city are required to be certified by the American Red Cross.

The smaller neighborhood pools are usually able to operate with four or five staffers on the clock. The Dunworth location, which includes three swimming pools and two diving boards, operates with 15-20 staffers daily. 

“Lifeguards have to go through an extensive 28 hours of training and once they complete that, then we go through a hiring process where they have to meet the Dearborn standards,” said Kassim Darwish, a swimming pool safety supervisor. “There are written tests and performance tests they need to pass to be up to speed on their skills. Once they are hired in, we orient them and show them the ropes.” 

There are certain rules that are implemented at every pool; Any child under the age of 9 is not allowed into the pool without a responsible chaperone who is at least 16 or older. Flotation devices are also banned at all pools, because they can often obstruct a lifeguard’s view.  

Teddy Shaskos, the city’s Aquatics and Parks supervisor, said that lifeguards are trained to instruct children and teenagers based on protocols, in order to limit the amount of horseplay and bullying at the pools. So far it seems to be working— the pools this year have reported no accidental drownings or injuries.

“People have to respect the fact that our first rule is that the lifeguard controls the pool. That has to be adhered to, no matter what,” Shaskos said. “We make that rule effective because you can’t have too many chiefs when it comes to safety. Patrons have to listen to the instructions of the lifeguard sitting in the seat.”

The city said its always looking for qualified people to fill the lifeguard positions. Currently, it’s going through a shortage and would prefer to have up to 140 lifeguards on call during the height of the summer season. 

Nemir Jaffer, a swimming pool safety supervisor, said the city routinely offers American Red Cross training certification classes during the fall and winter. During these sessions, the applicants are also educated in diversity and sensitivity training. 

With a large population of Arabs and Muslims in the city, Dearborn’s pools also have to modify some state implemented outdoor swimming pool regulations regarding attire. The swimming pools accommodate Muslim women with headscarves, so that they are able to wear more clothing when they participate at the pools. 

“Part of the Red Cross training class is teaching our lifeguards professionalism,” Jaffer said. “With that comes dealing with different cultures and knowing how to deal with your audience. We definitely take our community into account, especially women who wear scarves and need to wear long sleeves. We have a great relationship with the community and they are very understanding of our rules. We don’t run into much resistance in that area at all.”

Women are able to wear long sleeve spandex clothes, as long as they are clean and are worn right before they swim. This rule was implemented because Dearborn’s swimming pools have to closely follow the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Public Swimming Pool Act, which cites that dirty attire can make a pool unsanitary. All patrons are also required to shower in the locker rooms before they enter the pools.  

Shaskos said a lot of maintenance goes into pool cleanliness, so the city can stay up to code with state enforcement.  Each pool is equipped with a water vacuum that captures loose debris and dirt accumulated in the pool throughout the day. Every pool is vacuumed either daily or every other day. At Dunworth, sections of the pool are vacuumed every day, due to larger traffic. 

Each pool has also had its filtration system, which operates 24 hours a day, updated within the last 10 years. Staff at every pool are also required to check the pool’s chlorine and pH levels once every hour. 

During the 90s and 2000s, the city had operated with eight neighborhood pools, before economical setbacks forced the recreation department to start making budget cuts. In recent years, the city closed pools at Hemlock Park, Crowley and Whitmore-Bolles.

Despite this, the city has managed to operate the remaining pools on a tighter budget. Swimming pools are often jam-packed with extra curricular activities that include swim meets and swimming lessons. Currently, the city is installing splash pads at both Hemlock and Crowley Parks, which are scheduled to open in August for test runs.

“The city is aware of the fact that there are strong feelings regarding these pools and sometimes they have to make hard decisions,” Shaskos said. “They’ve found ways to balance our day-to-day operations with the needs of our community. These pools are very well utilized. There is never a dull moment.”

Ramadan has slowed down traffic at the pools considerably in recent weeks, because Muslims are not allowed to put their heads under water during the holy month; but pool supervisors are optimistic that the second half of the summer will be stronger than the first half. 

Children under the age of 2 are granted free access to the pools, while children under the age of 17 can purchase a season pass for $45. Families that include parents and all children, are able to obtain season passes for a flat rate of $125. For further information, residents can call 313.943.2350 or visit the city’s website at www.cityofdeaborn.org.

Applicants interested in a lifeguard position at the city’s swimming pools can apply online at //agency.governmentjobs.com/dearbornmi/ after selecting the recreations category.