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[Southsider2k12]

https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news...rds/7495735002/

MICHIGAN CITY — Washington Park won’t have lifeguards again this year, but there’s hope for the future.

The City Council had hiked the pay to $15 an hour to be competitive with neighboring beaches, but there still weren’t enough applicants, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Ed Shinn said.

“Lifeguards are few and far between,” Shinn said. “We had probably six or seven possibilities, but only four lifeguards came out to be qualified.”

Protecting Michigan City’s 1.9 miles of beach would take 14 to 17 lifeguards, with nine per shift, Shinn said.

The park safety response team — including representatives from the council, park department, Park Board and mayor — decided four lifeguards isn’t enough. “It takes sometimes five lifeguards for each instance of saving a life,” Shinn said. With teams of four, and potentially one person sick, that’s just too dangerous.