PITTSFIELD — For the second summer in a row, swimmers at Burbank Park will have to enjoy Onota Lake at their own risk.

City officials announced Thursday that, after four months of recruiting, they have again failed to hire enough lifeguards to staff the beach.

Residents looking to cool off at Onota Lake over the next few months will have to enter the water without a certified lifeguard to watch over them.

Signs will be posted at the lake to let beachgoers know lifeguards will not be present. The city advises children and weak swimmers to enter the water only with adult supervision, and says no one should swim alone.

Finding certified lifeguards has become increasingly difficult, according to Community Development Director Justine Dodds.

“It’s a skilled position, and there's a lot of responsibility that goes along with it,” Dodds said.

The city has a small pool of candidates to choose from, and a minimum of three or four lifeguards must be hired for the lake to be properly staffed. The city’s recruitment efforts are focused on local high schools and places that train and certify lifeguards, such as the Berkshire Family YMCA.

Dodds noted that some people might be more reluctant to lifeguard the dark water of a lake, which obscures the bottom, as opposed to the clear water of a swimming pool.

A tragedy in 2022 previously drew attention to the city’s lifeguard shortage, when an 8-year-old girl, Kristy Prakashkumar Patel, drowned at Onota Lake. There was no lifeguard present, during a time when there should have been one on site, due to staffing issues.

Swimming was previously “at your own risk” in 2023 and 2025. Enough lifeguards were hired to staff the lake for four days a week during the 2024 summer season, though they began working a bit later in the summer than the city had hoped.

The city budgeted for one beach master and two lifeguards this fiscal year, as well as four boat ramp monitors. The employees would each be expected to work five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday.

Even more competitive wages couldn’t draw in more applicants, who are sometimes drawn to lifeguard positions in neighboring towns with better pay. Last year, the city advertised hourly wages of $17.50 to $22 for lifeguards. This year’s wages were increased significantly, now ranging from $21.54 to $29.82 an hour based on experience.

Dodds said the lifeguard position will remain open, in case anyone changes their mind in the weeks to come about stepping up to keep swimmers at Onota Lake safe.

“It’s a way to try to increase the skill level of residents and get people to understand water safety and how to recreate appropriately,” she said of the role. “It can be rewarding in the fact that you're providing a public service to residents in the area, particularly in and around Onota Lake.”