Centennial Beach — Attraction in Naperville

Super fun place! Clean, lots to do. BYO coolers with food & drink (no alcohol, no glass). Spacious, umbrellas, Adirondack chairs. Can bring a blanket and spread out. Picnic Tables. Lots of shade. Nice showers/changing area. Robust concession stand. Walk to Riverwalk. Easy access & parking.

Now for the bad... We were there all day and what I observed was concerning.

The Swim Test: the point of the swim test should be that you can go the distance with strength and confidence in your swimming, NOT swim the distance with perfect stroke and breathing technique. The crash lessons the Guards gave to those waiting kids was ridiculous- as if you don't know proper technique you will learn it in this 30 seconds.

The Slide & Adjacent Chair: These two posts seemed to be the "social hour" positions as I observed throughout the day the conversation between all of the guards here.... children up the ladder and down the slide seemed a secondary duty after the conversation that was happening between the guard at the top of the slide and the one on the side.

The Head Guard: watched him slouch back in his chair most of the time he was at his post. How can you see under/around your chair when you're halfway reclined?

One Guard, in a rolled up on the sides "bucket/fishing hat" and wrap around sunglasses was more concerned with his abs and what was happening around the pool rather than the swimmers in it. I watched him fiddle with his red "life saver" plastic hook, looking DOWN at it, not the water, for over a minute while "guarding" in the shallow water. Literally eyes OFF the swimmers for over a minute....

Guards chatting at the far end (by the diving "piers") through their megaphones, not watching the water. What?

The entire time I was there, I saw only TWO guards scanning the water methodically-- one in another bucket/fishing hat with white sunglasses and another with a baseball cap and sunglasses. Both young men. Both actively engaged in what they were doing every time I looked at them.

I am glad I have strong swimmers; if I had beginners, I wouldn't bring them here because of what I witnessed. It doesn't matter if you are a strong swimmer. To be a Life Guard, you have to DILIGENTLY watch at all times-- it's about the mental work to SEE what is happening before you then act if needed.

This place really is a GEM and so much fun but it seemed, in general, there was a lack of understanding the weight of their roles by the lifeguard team. I was sad to see that and hope it...

As far as public pools go, Centennial Beach is pretty darned cool. Interesting layout with a zero-depth wade-in entry from a sandy beach. Lots of grassy areas with natural shading. Well fortified concessions stand and several picnic areas. Clean grounds and attractive architecture. In-and-Out privileges (rare and unheard of in CA pools). Great facility for families and teens. Tons of security and very cool patrons. As a former life guard, I am very critical of the guard team. I could not say enough positive things about these people. They were totally friendly and NEVER took their eyes off the pool even when speaking with me. That's a major test which they passed with flying colors. Additionally, they are very concerned about the over-all well being of their patrons. I observed one guard gently treat a 4 year old for a bee sting. So, any claim that these people are "mean" or uncaring are completely false. Also, if they close the pool for inclement weather...they are doing so in accordance with the most basic water safety guidelines. If this sort of thing bothers you, please check the weather conditions BEFORE driving several hours out to Naperville. If there's bad weather in the area, they are going to clear the water (as they should). My only concern is the water condition. It was pretty dirty on my visit. Cloudy, floating debris (bird feathers), weird feel on skin and slight odor. It was pretty crowded, and I didn't see anyone in the restrooms. Sooooo...yeah. Suffice to say I did not spend a lot of time in the water. I cooled off in the fountains and prayed those used a different water source. All things considered, Centennial Beach is a great place to spend a few hours on a hot and humid Naperville...

Racism still alive in Naperville…yay I’m so glad I drove my daughter an hour out here from Evanston to meet her cousins. What started off as a pleasant time in the water in the shallow end turned into an uncomfortable and mood killing situation. My daughter and niece went to the scheduled deep test and as they approached the lifeguards one of them told them that the test was closed (a couple other kids were already sitting and waiting to start their test). My daughter and niece were confused and started walking away and then the lifeguard said “just kidding, you can do the test, sit down”. My daughter and niece were still confused and unsure of whether to sit or not and then the lifeguard said “here, curry, sit down” after which the girls were uncomfortable and came back to us and said they didn’t want to participate in the activity. The other lifeguards apparently found this funny and chuckled and when confronted, denied the entire thing and either said that they had no recollection of seeing our daughters or that the girls were there and left on their own and that nothing was said to them. Thanks for nothing Centennial Beach. Now I get to (re)explain why this kinda garbage happens to...