It’s time to prioritize our pools

The city of Overland Park is a wonderful place to raise a family, frequently landing at the top of national rankings. It’s a friendly, affordable and safe community that we can all take pride in.

But Overland Park city leaders have been steadily de-prioritizing public swimming pools. The list of closures is growing, and of the pools that remain open, the experience is steadily eroding. Meanwhile, they’ve pushed through a boondoggle Farmers’ Market project to the tune of $34 million. That’s 20X the annual budget for all pools in Overland Park.

Neighborhood swimming pools are an important part of our thriving local community. Join us in telling Overland Park to stop cutting back on simple summertime fun, and start prioritizing our pools!

Pool Closures

Shorter Seasons

Reduced Hours

Fewer Amenities

Take Action

Join us in telling Overland Park to prioritize our pools!

What people are saying…

“Why is the city spending $34 million on a Farmers Market, when they can’t even keep their public pools open?”

~ Overland Park Resident

What’s wrong with the pools?

Since 2015, Overland Park has permanently closed half of the public pools in the city. (Roe, Marty and now Bluejacket). The city has stated they no longer want to support neighborhood pools. Stonegate is slated to be closed next.

How much does the city spend on pools?

In 2024, the total expenditures for Aquatics was $1.65 million. Additionally, the city brings in $450k in revenue from public pools. Which means the annual cost of pools is a fraction of what they’re about to spend on a Farmers’ Market.

Who approved the $34 million project?

The city council approved the exorbitant price tag for the Farmers’ Market. The taxpayers of Overland Park DID NOT approve this project; it has never been put to a public vote.

Tell me about the other pools…aren’t they great?

The situation at the remaining pools continues to get worse. Pool closing times have moved from 8pm to 7pm, concession stands are shuttered, and the pool season continues to shrink – this year, all pools but Tomahawk will close earlier than ever, on August 6th!

How much is the city planning to spend on the Farmer’s Market?

$34 millionthat’s 20x the annual budget for all pools in Overland Park. For comparison, the average construction cost of a supermarket is $6.6 million.

What can we do?

Visit our Take Action page for ways you can make your voice heard. And then tell your neighbors and friends to do the same!