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With a recent rating as America’s No. 1 beach, and the addition of new resorts and hotels, more visitors are expected to stick their toes in the sugar sand beaches on Clearwater Beach. To help keep all those visitors safe, the city of Clearwater has constructed a new lifeguard tower, and is adding more lifeguards. Clearwater Beach prides itself on being one of the only beaches along the Gulf Coast with lifeguards.
Designed by Fisher Architects and built by Certus Builders Inc., the new tower will look much different from the other beach towers. The design is reflective of mid-century modern architecture that also was incorporated into the design of the newly opened Opal Sands Resort. The new tower is located north of the rock jetty near parking lot 32, and will bring the number of lifeguard towers on the beach to six.
The Beach Patrol provides lifeguards at designated areas on Clearwater Beach 365 days a year between the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. During spring and summer, the times are later.
There are six guard towers staffed during the season, March 1 to Labor Day, and three towers staffed the rest of the year. Currently there are six full time lifeguards. The remaining staff is made up of part-time and “seasonal” lifeguards, the number of which varies based on the season. All are under the direction of the water safety supervisor.
Clearwater Beacon April 6, 2016
