BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — You and your kids now have one more place to escape the heat this summer.

The Elks Pool, located on Washington Street in Bismarck, was temporarily closed this summer due to an overwhelming shortage of lifeguards. This closure, among others, left only one pool open in Bismarck: the Hillside Aquatic Center.

However, thanks to an increase in people getting certified to be lifeguards, the Elks Pool is officially reopening within the next two weeks.

Mike Wald, the facility and programs director of Bismarck Parks and Recreation, said, “Our last lifeguarding class will wrap up on Sunday. After that class, once we gather everybody’s information on availability, we should be getting a schedule out of when Elks Pool will be opening up early part of next week.”

At BSC Community Pool, lifeguard training and recertification classes are currently underway to get people trained and ready to go for the Elks Pool opening.

Despite a slow start to the lifeguard training season, things are starting to speed up according to Emma Weidmeier, a lifeguard/lifeguard instructor for Bismarck Parks and Recreation.

Weidmeier said, “I taught a few classes in March and April, and those were super empty, we only had like three or four people in the class. But recently, the last few in the end of May and then the last week have been super full, which is really good to see because we are in such a shortage for lifeguards. I’m really happy to see the one that they have going on downstairs, I think they have like twelve or thirteen in there, which is a very, very full class.”

Weidmeier says this may be because of the end of the school year or because of some of the added benefits that Bismarck Parks and Rec introduced this season — such as increased pay and free enrollment for lifeguarding classes. And despite this being the final confirmed class of the training season, Wald says that plans could change.

“As of right now, this is the last one that we have scheduled. But we’re definitely going to take a look at how our applications are coming in and if there’s a need, we’ll work with staff to see if that’ll be possible to get another class in,” Wald said.

While you wait for the pool to open, you can head over to the Elks splash pad. The splash pad is free and open from 12-7 p.m. every day until the pool opens.