Municipal swimming pool opens for the season
Guttenberg Municipal Swimming Pool lifeguards ran through practice lifesaving drills under the direction of Kelly Erickson, off-site pool manager, on June 2. (Press photo by Caroline Rosacker)
By Caroline Rosacker
The Guttenberg Municipal Swimming Pool opened for the 2021 season on June 3. The pool has 25 full and part time employees and two volunteer staff members. "Al Ullerich and I serve as the adult volunteers," said volunteer Bec Knudtson. "City employee Jamie Blume serves as the main resource and all around right-hand woman for the pool staff out of the city office. Our certified pool operators are Dan Walke, Dan Pierce and Kylie Bolsinger, and they oversee the operations of the pool — in other words, they make sure the pool is up and running every day."
Kelly Erickson
Pool Manager
Kelly Erickson has been hired as the city's off-site pool manager. "This is my first year as the manager of the Guttenberg pool," said Kelly, "I am also the manager of the Elkader pool, a position I have held for about eight or nine years. I am also a teacher at Central Community School, and I am the swim team coach for Elkader-Strawberry Point Swim Team. I have three daughters and live with my family in Elkader. I enjoy swimming, kayaking, riding bikes, walking the dog, and watching my daughters' sporting events."
"Kelly has certified our lifeguards for several years at Hoffman Hall in Prairie du Chien, Wis., Elkader, Monona, and Postville pools if ready for use in time, but this is the first year she has been able to certify our guards in our own pool," Knudtson said.
Assistant Managers
Kaylyn LeGrand of Guttenberg will be one of the swimming pool's full-time assistant managers. She is a college student studying education and a member of the volleyball team at Clarke University in Dubuque. "This is my first year at the Guttenberg pool, but I have been the manager at the Colesburg pool for the past two years," said LeGrand. Kaylyn enjoys reading and sports.
Michaela Blume, the second full-time manager and Clayton Ridge graduate, will be attending Iowa Wesleyan College in the fall. Blume has been an employee with the city's pool for the past four years. "I worked in the basket room my first year of employment and as a certified lifeguard for the past three," said Blume. The busy teen also works as the city's recreation concession manager and cooks at the Dam Bar. She enjoys hunting and wrestling.
Micayla Randal will fill in as a part-time assistant manager as needed and work as a lifeguard and teach swimming lessons. This will be Micayla's fourth year as a lifeguard for the Guttenberg Pool.
Pool hours
The Municipal Pool is open to the public seven days a week the following hours.
Adult swim: (18 years and older) 6-8 a.m. (Monday-Friday) and 12-12:50 p.m. and 5-5:50 p.m. seven days a week.
Open swim: All ages seven days a week from 1-4:50 p.m. and 6-7:50 p.m.
Swimming lessons: Lessons begin June 14, times and dates are available through the city office. Private swimming lessons are available and arranged through the manager or assistant managers. Call the pool at 252-1109.
Pool parties are available from 8-10 p.m. daily and on weekend mornings from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Call the pool for reservations and additional information. Pool party dates depend on staff availability.
"Last year's pool schedule was only limited by staff availability, not pandemic concerns," explained Knudtson. "We had COVID-19 restrictions in place. Our basket room workers wore masks and we limited the number of pool attendees to 50. We have no restrictions this year. Any restrictions will be because of staff availability."
Pool features
"Our pool slide, which is 23 ft. 4 inches, is what makes us stand out," commented Knudtson. "We also have zero-depth entry, a designated snack area with permanent seating and “guard dogs” protecting our pool! Can’t think of any other pool that has that!"
Wave of the Future Endowment Board
The Wave of the Future Endowment Fund (WOTF) board consists of Deb Moser, Debbie Eulberg, Lori Ludens-Kann, Al Ullerich and Bec Knudtson. The fund was started in 2019 after the pool was officially signed off to the city. Any donations made to the pool go into the WOTF Endowment Fund. "These funds enable the board to purchase items that are used at the pool and are purchases that the city’s budget may not have been able to include," noted Knudtson. "It guarantees that the pool will always have a “support system” so to speak, as far as some purchase power goes."
Donations or memorials to the Wave of the Future Endowment Fund can be dropped off at the City office or placed in the curbside depository or mailed to City of Guttenberg P.O. Box 580, Guttenberg, IA. 52052.
