The Morton Grove Park District’s Oriole and Harrer pools are closed for the season. The hot weather this summer brought thousands of patrons to the pools who enjoyed some really nice days to swim and have fun with their families and friends. We were open for 89 days of operation this summer with only 7 closings due to inclement weather. Our lifeguards were audited 3 times this summer by Ellis & Associates and received an “Exceeds Standards” rating every time. The auditors were also very impressed with one lifeguard in particular. Meghan Henry was awarded the Golden Guard. This is a hard award to achieve and is given to a lifeguard who displayed the highest standard in safety in all areas.

The pools may be closed but work continues. Every fall, the pools are evaluated to determine if any deficiencies or areas of repair are needed before the next summer. Unfortunately, at the end of this season, Oriole Pool suffered a liner failure. The liner is the vinyl covering of the pool surface. On Labor Day, Harrer Pool’s last schedule day of operation, there was a mechanical issue. The pool pump responsible for pool circulation broke.  The Superintendent of Parks and Facilities, Greg Jayne will be meeting with different contractors to assess both situation and gather information on repairs needed and their costs. After evaluations are completed, the options for repair work will be presented to the Park Board for review. The ultimate goal is to use the off season months to be ready for another fun summer in 2013.