Lake McDonough Reduces Swimming Hours Due to Lack of Lifeguards

Swimming hours at Lake McDonough in Barkhamsted will be limited this summer because of the lack of lifeguards.

Lake McDonough will be open on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., but it will otherwise be closed for swimming on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, according to the Metropolitan District.

The schedule change does not affect the hours for boating. 

Beginning on Saturday, May 25, the new schedule for swimming at Lake McDonough will be Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

On Thursday, July 4, it will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

MDC said in a news release that it regrets any inconvenience the new hours will cause, but the changes are necessary to ensure the safety and security of recreational users.

There is an immediate need for lifeguards in the state.  

All qualified candidates must pass igorous physical tests, including swimming underwater for 25 yards, treading water for two minutes without using hands, retrieving a brick from about seven to 10 feet, swimming 550 yards continuously and running a quarter mile in 90 seconds. 

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