LAKEWOOD, Ohio — The city of Lakewood has announced a new policy for its public pools amid high usage during this current heat wave in Northeast Ohio.
In a letter posted to its social media pages on Friday, city leaders stated that "due to safety concerns and a need to avoid overcrowding," it will restrict pool access for non-residents of Lakewood.
"Each non-resident must be accompanied by a Lakewood resident on a one-to-one basis," the city stated.
The updated policy, which will go into effect this Sunday, will not impact those who have existing season passes.
In order for a Lakewood resident to get a day pass to swim at either Becks Pool on Madison Avenue or Foster Pool at Lakewood Park, you must have one of the following documents as proof of residency:
- Drivers license or state-issued ID
- Utility bill from current year
- School ID
- Report card
The city says "on multiple occasions, Foster Pool has reached full capacity," leading to swimmers seeking admission to be turned away.
"Both the City of Lakewood and the Lakewood Recreation Department hold the safety of pool users as our highest priority and we continue to jointly monitor the situation ongoing," the city added in its letter.
The news from Lakewood comes as Northeast Ohio remains under a heat advisory through Saturday. The oppressive heat has been in our area since Monday, leading to 3News declaring a WEATHER IMPACT ALERT.
The sweltering conditions expected to finally let up on Monday.