After being allotted $18 million for improvements, the City of Wichita’s Parks and Recreation Department has outlined a 7-year plan for its aquatics facilities.
The city currently owns ten aquatics parks, including a swimming pool at Edgemoor Park that has been closed due to maintenance issues since 2012.
In a plan that was presented to Wichita City Council members on Tuesday, the Edgemoor swimming pool would receive a significant remodeling, with an opening date in 2020.
The plan would also replace four swimming pools—McAdams, Orchard, Boston and Linwood—with water playgrounds.
Wichita Aquatics Manager Brian Hill says the splash pads combine large fountains and jungle gyms, and will save the city money.
“[Water playgrounds] reduce our cost of water, it reduces our chemical costs, and the big one, obviously, you don’t have to staff them with lifeguards,” Hill says.
The Evergreen and Aley Park swimming pools would both be remodeled in the current plan, with opening dates of 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Both the Harvest and College Hill Park pools would receive slight improvements in 2023.
The Minisa Park pool would be the only one closed without another water feature replacing it.
These changes will be open for public comment, and will need to be approved by city council members.
Below is a complete list of proposed changes to city-owned aquatics facilities:
- Aley Park - Remodel would begin after 2020 season; new facility opens in 2022
- Boston Park - Closed and demolished after 2019 season, water playground opens in 2020
- College Hill Park - Slight improvements possible in 2023
- Edgemoor Park - Remodel would begin after 2019 season; new facility opens in 2020
- Evergreen Park - Closed for remodeling after 2019 season, new facility opens in 2021
- Harvest Park - Slight improvements possible in 2023
- Linwood Park - Closed and demolished after 2022 season, water playground opens in 2023
- McAdams Park - Closed and demolished after 2019 season, water playground opens in 2020
- Minisa Park - Permanently closes in 2021 for more park space/river launch site
- Orchard Park - Closed and demolished after 2022 season, water playground opens in 2023
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