Ad Astra Pool will remain open another year while Lenexa takes time to engage the public about aquatics needs and challenges in the community.
Located at 83rd Street and Maurer Road,
Ad Astra Pool had been scheduled to permanently close after the 2019 swim season. During its Oct. 15 meeting, the Lenexa City Council voted to reallocate funds to open and operate the outdoor pool in 2020. The Council also authorized staff to hire consultant Waters Edge Aquatic Design to help seek public input about future aquatics investments in Lenexa.
Waters Edge Aquatic Design recently completed an evaluation of the city’s existing aquatics facilities to serve as a planning tool for city leadership. In July, the City Council accepted the study’s final report. It suggested several options to modernize Lenexa’s aquatics facilities and serve the growing and changing community.
The
aquatics study report echoed staff’s earlier recommendation to close Ad Astra Pool due to its physical condition, structural problems with the site, accessibility issues, lack of recreational amenities, low attendance, large size and expense. After the study ended, the City of Lenexa also hired Braun Intertec to investigate the soil and geologic conditions at the Ad Astra Pool site.
The additional year of funding to operate Ad Astra Pool would not cover major repairs, mechanical failures or other unforeseen circumstances.
Over the coming months, the aquatics public engagement process will use a variety of methods to involve residents and other stakeholders in identifying the right mix of aquatics amenities for the entire community — including plans for the future of Ad Astra Pool. Watch for updates in
TownTalk, follow the City of Lenexa on
social media, visit the website or
sign up for a newsletter to get updates on opportunities to participate.
Published Oct. 16, 2019