Our goals
The goals of our group are simple and straightforward. Additionally, we believe each of these goals is financially feasible if the City of Overland Park would scale back the $34 Million Farmers’ Market overhaul and direct the funds towards preserving our neighborhood public pools.
- Revise the long-term strategy and prioritize maintaining neighborhood pools: Save Bluejacket!
- Bring back amenities that are a cornerstone of a kid’s summer pool experience: Reopen concession stands.
- Stop reducing the length of the pool season. Leave ALL pools open through Labor Day.
- Restore the 8pm closing time
Did you know?
- Overland Park is on track to permanently close 3 neighborhood pools in less than 10 years (Roe Pool, Marty and now Bluejacket). In other words, the number of public pools available to residents has been cut in HALF since 2015. Is Stonegate next?
- The total Aquatics budget for 2024 is $1.65 million. The City is preparing to spend more than 20X that amount on overhauling a Farmers’ Market that is already ranked best in the nation.
- Pool hours are shrinking: since 2021, pools close at 7pm instead of 8. Our neighboring suburban cities still keep their pools open until 8.
- Shrinking season: In 2024, all OP pools, with the exception of Tomahawk, close for the season on August 6.
- Disappearing amenities: Since 2021, concession stands have been shuttered at most (all?) pools. Children in this town probably don’t even know what a pool concessions is. Sure, it’s crummy food, but what adult doesn’t have fond memories of those little microwave pizzas and frozen Snickers bars on a hot day?
1
Spread the word!
Tell your neighbors, tell your family, tell your friends! We were spurred to action by the sheer number of people we’ve spoken with that all shared the same complaint: Overland Park isn’t prioritizing our neighborhood public pools.
2
Make your voice heard!
Visit our “Take Action” page, where we provide ideas for a sample email and the email addresses of Council Members.
3
Get involved!
Prioritize our Pools is led by busy parents with young children. We’ll take all the help we can get! Reach out via our contact form to get in touch, share ideas, and find out ways you can help with on the ground efforts to tell Overland Park to prioritize our pools.
4
Be respectful!
If you’re visiting our site, chances are you’re fed up from watching pools crumble and close while the City Council chooses to spend $34 million to overhaul a Farmers’ Market that’s already ranked best in the nation. We understand your frustration. We were so fed up we spent evenings and weekends putting this whole website together 🙂 When reaching out to the local city council to tell them to prioritize our pools, please be respectful. Only contact City Council Members via their official contact information, as listed on the city website and our Take Action page. Council Members are our neighbors first and foremost.