3/8-Cent Sales Tax Renewal future opportunities for parks

Published on February 12, 2025

From pickleball to playgrounds, the top recreation priorities identified through Lenexa’s 2024 Parks & Recreation Master Plan would help meet the needs of a broad range of interests, ages and abilities. If renewed in this spring’s mail ballot election, Lenexa’s 3/8-Cent Sales Tax could provide funding to make these ideas a reality.

More than 1,000 Lenexa residents weighed in on future opportunities through the Master Plan process. The priorities that emerged would enhance existing parks and create new places to play, be active and enjoy nature.

Sales tax funding could support reinvestment and maintenance at existing parks, including:

Continued investment in the Playground Replacement Program. Playgrounds need to be replaced routinely to ensure they’re safe.
Updating or adding park shelters, restrooms and lighting.
Reconstruction, expansion or improvement of sport courts.

As the community grows, developing new parkland is a high priority. Lenexa has set a goal to have a park within a 10-minute walk for every resident. The City has about 184 acres of undeveloped parkland. The renewed Sales Tax could help Lenexa:

Purchase more parkland for future needs.
Develop Centennial Park, a 40-acre park around the Clear Creek Wetlands.
Master plan and build new parks on undeveloped parkland. The Parks & Recreation Master Plan suggests new park development that has a low environmental impact and incorporates passive opportunities like trails while preserving native landscape, habitats and greenspace.

The Parks & Recreation Master Plan recommends new amenities including:

Off-leash dog park(s).
Inclusive playground features.
All-wheel pump track and single-track mountain bike course.
Splash pad / spraygrounds.
Additional pickleball courts.
Fitness park with a variety of exercise stations.

The City of Lenexa’s 3/8-Cent Sales Tax was approved by voters in 2008 to fund street and parks maintenance and projects. Lenexans will vote on whether to renew the Sales Tax for an additional 20 years in a mail ballot election this spring. Ballots will be mailed to all registered Lenexa voters March 11 and are due at the Johnson County Election Office by noon on April 1, 2025.