NEW ORLEANS — It is starting to feel more like summer out there, and if you need to cool off, good news – the City of New Orleans plans to open 13 public pools this year. That is more than either last year or the year before when pool openings were restricted by a shortage of lifeguards.
“We’re excited and looking forward to the great things that are planned,” said New Orleans Recreation Development Commission CEO Larry Barabino at a press conference Wednesday. He said almost a hundred lifeguards are either hired or in training across the city. “Our goal is shooting for 150,” said Barabino.
Lifeguards will also get paid more this year. NORD is offering $17.15 an hour, up from $16.72 an hour in 2023. Applicants must be 15 years old.
You can see the application here.
NORD also announced new programs Wednesday, including one in which teens can play e-sports, a term for competitive video games. “That’s an evening program that allows us to take kids off the street during the evening hours,” said Barabino.
It is one of many programs offering a $450 stipend for participants who attend the entire session. That stipend program saw some controversy last summer, which city leaders also addressed Wednesday. A few dozen teens reported that their stipends had come late. Barabino blamed a mix of computer errors, issues with the teens’ bank accounts, and teens not being signed up for a session to begin with.
To streamline the process this year, the NORD has switched to an online application system and paper checks, which will be distributed in two parts per session instead of once at the end. Teens will also have to attend mandatory orientations and sign in each session.
Barabino said he believes this will head off any potential delays, and also urged parents and teens not to place too much importance on the stipend. “What we’re providing for teens during the summer months is the experience, it’s the safety,” he said.
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