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.

The beaches in Michigan City will hopefully soon be safer, as the mayor signed an executive order raising pay for lifeguards.

And that's not the only department to get a pay raise.

Mayor Duane Parry says getting the lifeguard issue resolved was an eminent threat, while raising salaries for the street department is an investment in the future.

A popular beach with no lifeguards. Many people visit from out of town, unaware of the danger Lake Michigan poses.

MICHIGAN CITY - The city of Michigan City has increased its starting wage for lifeguards to $25 dollars an hour.

The "Times" reports the move was made to help enable the city to have a full staff. Park Superintendent Ed Shinn told the "Times" that as of Monday Washington Park will have a full staff of 14 lifeguards, as "money talks." Two out of the 14 will need to be certified. Until they do, they will be staying on land and helping with other duties until they receive their lifeguard certification. Previous to the wage hike, the city struggled to get enough applicants to attain a full staff.