As summer is set to roll into Marion in the next few weeks, the Lincoln Park Aquatic Center will officially reopen after being closed all last year.
With excitement returning to the Aquatic Center, many of the officials involved look to bring back a well-missed summer activity for kids and families in Marion. However, until the Aquatic Center is able to bolster its lifeguard staff, the schedule for this summer will look different than past years.
By Tuesday next week, Mayor Scott Schertzer said the Aquatic Center, located on 879 N. Prospect St., will have 12 certified lifeguards for this summer season. Additionally, they are gearing up to add potentially five more lifeguards if the candidates make it through the required training course and the interview process. If all goes according to plan, this would bring the lifeguard staff up to 17.
Though COVID-19 has been a part of our lives for more than a year now, a survey shows many Marion businesses have found ways to weather the storm and stay optimistic.
According to a survey from the Marion Area Chamber of Commerce, roughly 78% of surveyed businesses said they look to 2022 with predictions of slow to significant growth. Further, of these businesses, nearly 60% said they were either fully operational with employees back in the workplace and an additional 32% said they were fully operational with employees working either remotely or on a hybrid schedule.
While Matt Carbary, president of the Marion Chamber of Commerce, said growth is to be expected after a challenging year like 2020, this is still a significant increase. In 2015, the last time the Chamber of Commerce did this survey, only 44% of businesses said they predicted growth.