The Revelstoke Aquatic Centre will be opening full hours starting June 7. That's after operating on reduced hours due to a shortage in lifeguards, and to train recruited lifeguards.

Communities across British Columbia have been struggling to recruit new lifeguards and swimming lesson instructors since the pandemic.

Laurie Denato is the director of parks, recreation and culture for the city of Revelstoke, and she says the city recently recruited five lifeguards who are familiar with the pool here.

“We’re fortunate that we actually have instructors and we’ve put measures in place to offer swim lessons," she says. 

Other communities haven't been so lucky, and some pools aren't opening, or aren't able to offer swimming lessons at this time.

Dale Miller is the executive director of the Lifesaving Society of B.C and Yukon, based in Burnaby. He says the shortage of lifeguards has to do with the pandemic. While pools have been closed on and off throughout the past two years, many lifeguards moved on to different jobs. And, there hasn't been training courses in that time to bring in replacements. 

"We’re seeing very high demand for the courses, because a lifeguard instructor job is a very much coveted job," Miller says, but he figures it will take a year to a year-and-a-half to fill the vacant positions.

Denato says, positions in Revelstoke have been filled for the summer, but she's actively recruiting for the fall. She encourages anyone interested in working as a lifeguard to pop by the Aquatic Centre to chat.

She also says that while swimming lessons are being offered at the time, high demand means there are waitlists.

The pool will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Tuesday to Saturday, and from noon to 7:00 pm on Mondays, starting June 7.

Click below to listen to an audio report that aired on Friday, May 27 on StokeFM.