Last Call for a Dip in Attleboro's Pools

There are only two more days left for public swim. The will shut access to the city's four public swimming pools at the close of day Friday.

Recreation employees will work to close out, drain and cover the pools, which have been opened since June 29, over the next several weeks, according to Attleboro Recreation Director Dennis Walsh. 

"It takes about a month because we don't have someone working on it 40 hours a week," Walsh said. "We have things they have to do for White Hawks Football, Attleboro Pop Warner and Attleboro Youth Soccer."

What is involved in closing out the pools?

"We have to do all the undoing of plumbing in bathrooms and take out railings and chairs and things of that nature," he said. "We review the pool to see if there are any chips or problems with the interior of the pools."

Despite the more than 18,000 people who utilized the Briggs, Twin Village, Veteran's Memorial and Spatcher pools, the closing of Attleboro's pools will come without any public safety incidents.

However, the drowning of a woman at a Fall River public pool forced the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to send out mandates and regulations for review by municipalities. 

"I met with all the lifeguards and staff and reviewed the important items," Walsh said. "We are on heightened alert."

Included in those regulations is a mandate to have one lifeguard for every 25 patrons in the pool, according to Walsh.

"Where Spatcher is our busiest pool, you might see six, seven or eight lifeguards," he said. "If there are less than 25 people we always have two on."

Walsh said he hopes residents will take advantage of the final two days of public swimming.