Lakeside Park in Mayville will have lifeguards beginning Sunday. P-J photos by Gregory Bacon

MAYVILLE — After a three-year hiatus, public swimming will return to Lakeside Park.

During a meeting of the Mayville Village Board, Mayor Rick Syper announced that they have hired seven lifeguards and may be hiring two more for the beach. Since they have the staff, they are planning to have public swimming available beginning Sunday, June 25 until Aug. 19. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

“We’ve been working hard on that,” he said.

The last time Mayville has had open swimming was in 2019. The pandemic shut down swimming in 2020, and the following two years the village struggled at finding lifeguards.

Even though they haven’t had swimming for the general public, Mayville has had a summer recreation day camp program. The program was in place last year.

This year, it runs July 5-Aug. 11 Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The program had its own lifeguards and was able to have swimming but in terms of staffing overall, the village hasn’t had enough lifeguards to staff the beach for the public.

Mayville isn’t the only community that is bringing back lifeguards. Lakewood was also unable to have public swimming in the past few years but has hired six lifeguards for the Richard O. Hartley Park.

According to the Chautauqua County Department of Health’s website, Wright Park in Dunkirk is planning on opening with lifeguards on July 1. It also states that point Gratiot’s beach in Dunkirk opening date is to be determined.

Cassadaga beach will open on Saturday, June 24 with lifeguards on duty from noon to 6 p.m. each day. Lifeguards are contracted through Aug. 20, but the beach will remain open past that date without lifeguards on duty. Swimming won’t be permitted without lifeguards present.