Parkwood Pool, near 10th and Quindaro, will reopen May 28 after two years of being closed.
The pool was the site of a tragic accident involving a youth who died trying to swim there when it was closed last year.
Unified Government Commissioner Gayle Townsend said at a news conference Tuesday that the pool had been closed for a variety of reasons, including because of the risk of COVID-19, and also because of a shortage of lifeguards in the community and region.
The pool will open under a private management company this year.
Commissioner Townsend said that with the coordination and help of the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools and the YMCA, youth in Kansas City, Kansas, now will learn how to swim earlier through programs at the YMCA. There will be more emphasis in the future on getting swimming classes back into the curriculum, she said.
The effort to reopen Parkwood Pool began with the former mayor and administrator, who started the process last year to broaden the search for lifeguards, she said. Lifeguards now will be offered a higher rate of pay than previously, with bonuses.
Mayor Tyrone Garner noted that he went to Parkwood Pool to talk with families and youth last year following the death of the youth in the pool. He pledged then to do everything possible to have a pool functional and open.
He thanked the UG Commission, UG staff members and others who were involved in getting the pool reopened. A lot of work went into trying to get to where they’re at today, he added.
Cheryl Harrison-Lee, interim UG administrator, said the UG, in its 25th year of consolidation, is trying to reimagine the next 25 years, and is emphasizing community engagement and more partnerships. The opening of the Parkwood pool is just one of the things to come with “UG Forward,” she said.
Angel Obert, UG parks and recreation director, said during the pandemic, parks and recreation services were important to the community, with residents using parks and trails more than usual.
Being here gives them hope and is a sign they are moving forward, according to Obert.
The accident at the pool last year was a tragic accident that never should have happened, she said.
The learn to swim program for youth, through KCK Public Schools and YMCA, funded by Warner Media, will help address the situation of youth who do not know how to swim.
Forty youth completed the pilot session for learning to swim, and only two of the youth had received a prior swim lesson, she said. One hundred percent passed the submerge safety test, she said. Other statistics showed that almost all students passed various swimming tests.
The UG parks will continue to partner with the KCK schools and YMCA to have water safety classes in the summer, she said. Children from two schools will attend summer swimming classes at Parkwood through a grant from GEHA, she said.
Middle school and high school youth also will have the opportunity to learn to swim, she said.
The parks department has recruited lifeguards in the community, she said, contacting more than 150 businesses, and went to high schools and job fairs. There were 17 applications received, with six participating in a program and two passed a lifeguard certification test, she said. The UG has partnered with Midwest Pools this year, she said.
Opening day of Parkwood Pool is Saturday, May 28, and the fee will be waived that day, with no charge, she said. Special activities are planned for opening day, she added.
Hours at Parkwood Pool are planned to be Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will be closed on Mondays.