'We're Not Going to Tolerate It': Incidents at Pools, Short Staffing Lead To Conundrum

Vandalism and violence in the days after the joyful June 6 opening of the new Washington Park pool frustrate city leaders and may prompt added security at taxpayer cost.

City Parks and Recreation workers walked and searched the water and floor of the new Washington Park pool for hours looking for broken glass about a week after it opened, according to Councilman Phazhon Nash. 

Nash this week detailed more about that publicized incident, which raised questions — and generated rumors — in the community, he said. 

With broken glass inside the facility, city officials thought the pool might have to be drained. The fear was that glass — the source of which remains unclear — had fallen into the water and could become a safety issue. However, Nash said staff worked tirelessly to search the pool and it was not drained.

“It’s unfortunate,” he said of the incident. “Thankfully [the pool] didn’t have to be drained,” adding that, “we’re talking about days to drain it, days to fill it back up, a lot of money to fill it back up, a lot of time to rebalance the chlorine levels and and all the chemicals that are in a pool.”

The rumors included that there’s sewage in the pool and talk that the $3.5 million Washington Park Pool was closed because it is structurally unsound.

“None of that is true,” Nash said.

The city is continuing to deal with summer staffing shortages that require closures from time to time between the Washington Park and Fallon Park pools. Nash said that’s being done to not favor one area of the city over another.

However, the broken glass, which council members said was the result of vandalism, and several other incidents, including a reported assault, did bring police to the pool in the days after it opened. Reports of violent incidents have also required police visits to the city’s Fallon Park pool in recent weeks.

Vice Mayor Terry McGuire said city employees have worked hard to keep the pools open. He addressed the situation from the council dais during a June 16 meeting. 

He implored the community to “call out” those who are “trashing public amenities and public resources that we built and invest in.”

“Tell them that’s wrong and you’re not going to tolerate it,” he said, “because we’re not going to tolerate it.”

In an interview Monday, McGuire said there are examples of vandalism in parks across the city. He said he’s confronted nefarious activity before, including once seeing a kid destroying a bench with a baseball bat in Southwest Roanoke.

He said it’s a problem the municipal government cannot solve by itself.

Police have not filed any charges for the broken glass incident.

Other police response to the Washington Park and Fallon Park pools were also detailed in emails from the department’s spokesperson, Hannah Glasgow:

- On June 11, officers responded to a report of a juvenile disorder at the Washington Park pool. Three teenage girls were asked to leave for disorderly conduct. Two of the teens complied, and one became aggressive and poked a pool employee in the face. An assault report was filed after the teens left prior to police arrival.

- On June 12, shortly after 4 p.m., a disorder was reported at the Washington Park pool. A group was gone when officers arrived. 

- On June 12, at about 5 p.m., a group of people refusing to leave was reported at the Washington Park pool. The involved teenagers were waiting for rides outside of the gated pool area and left the area when officers arrived. 

- On June 22, shortly after 6 p.m., there was a report of a fight at the Fallon Park pool. A teen girl was assaulted by a group of other teen girls, according to witness. The victim declined medical attention and a report was taken for assault.

- On June 23, shortly after 5 p.m., there was a report of disorder at the Fallon Park pool. Some teen girls were fighting, but it was broken up and the group left the pool before officers arrived. A report was not taken.

The discussion about what the city will do in the future to deter improper behavior at parks and pools — including the need for security — is just beginning, McGuire.

Meanwhile, the pools continue to be understaffed but city staff are “working diligently” to hire enough lifeguards to handle anticipated higher use of the pools this summer, according to a Monday email from city spokesperson Carol Corbin.

 The Parks and Recreation Department continues to advertise for vacant lifeguard positions through paid ads and other media attention, and a total of 49 applicants were referred from hiring managers this week, she wrote. The city offers lifeguard training and the pay is $15 an hour. The city is currently trying to hire about 20 lifeguards, according to Corbin.

The city is also using libraries as cooling shelters with dangerous heat conditions this week.