A permanently closed city pool could soon temporarily house a fire station in Overland Park.
What’s going on? The Overland Park Planning Commission on Monday recommended approval for a 3-year special use permit to temporarily house Fire Station #41 at the former Marty Pool site near 74th and Conser streets.
Background: Constructed in 1993, the Marty Pool was decommissioned by the city earlier this year with the long-term plan of eventually converting the site into a city park.
- The current pool house is inoperable and following the completion of the new Fire Station #41 next door, would be demolished.
- Located at 7405 Conser St., Marty Pool shares land with the current Fire Station #41.
The details: During a 14-month period, the city plans to demolish the current fire station and build a new one at 75th and Conser streets, while temporarily using the old Marty Pool site as a temporary fire house for the Overland Park Fire Department.
- Some modifications would be made to the pool house, including adding a new roof over the existing pool house breezeway and enclosing the existing covered patio to serve as a dayroom.
- The pool house interior would also be retrofitted to create several rooms, including a bunk room, restrooms, an office, a kitchen and gear storage area.
- Up to five firefighters would be able to stay in the modified pool house at a single time.
- During the transition, the fire station will be reduced to a single fire truck and medical unit, Overland Park Fire Chief Bryan Dehner said.
Key quote: “This is unusual,” Dehner said. “For two years worth of time, we’re going to do our best to try to figure out a way that we can shoehorn our personnel in the best plan possible and the best plan possible in some space we currently have.”
What’s next: To gain final approval, the proposed special use permit must be reviewed by the Overland Park City Council.
- If approved, construction on the former pool house would begin in spring 2023.
- Marty Pool house will be demolished and the property converted intro a public park, without a pool, once the new fire station is complete, according to the city’s park master plan.
