ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — With summer on the doorstep, many kids will transition from the school to the pool.
It beckons on a hot, sunny day. The pool on Avenue M in Fort Pierce, renamed the Arthur Boatwright Pool on Tuesday.
Boatwright, who died in 2012, taught thousands of kids over multiple generations how to swim.
"Not only did he teach them how to swim, he taught them the value of safety, he taught them the value of being good in school," said Boatwright's sister, Angeline Duncan Singletary
Relatives talked about Boatwright’s ability to glide in the water.
"For a big man, I'm telling you he was smooth," said Bpatwright's brother, Roosevelt Duncan.
"He was so inspiring and the kids looked up to him as a mentor," said Richard Edwards, Boatwright's friend.
While the pool has a new name, the three county pools in St. Lucie County still suffer from the same old problem, not enough summer lifeguards.
"Unfortunately, we are short about 11 full-time positions right now," said St. Lucie County spokesman Erick Gill.
Gill said that means they’ve had to reduce their hours and capacity.
"We did get some frustrated residents this past weekend that we were capped at 25 people and we had to come back later. We understand and we appreciate their concerns," Gill said.
The county will provide the necessary lifeguard training to anyone 16 and older who has their own transportation. The hope is to find those who shared Boatwright's passion for kids and the water.
"And recognizing him, I truly believe this is an honor and well deserved," Duncan said.
If you're interested in being a St. Lucie County lifeguard, click here. For the latest county pool operating hours, click here.
