As the city of Lenexa prepares to rebuild Ad Astra Pool next year, it’s seeking the public’s help in choosing a design.
Through Wednesday, July 31, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department is hosting an online survey in which people can give their feedback on four proposed designs for a new pool, as well as their suggestions for what they want to be included for programming and amenities at the revamped facility.
Having already gone through one round of surveys, Logan Wagler, Lenexa’s parks and recreation director, said they want to be sure they’re on the right track and that all voices are heard.
“We’ve taken those top priorities and design teams have kind of laid those out in different concepts,” he said. “So it’s going to further refine this. Are we hitting the right priorities? Is it capturing the things you want to see?”
Ad Astra Pool opened in 1988
Since the pool opened, it’s been plagued with problems, from issues with the settlement to problems with the decks and bath house, Wagler said.
“It’s led to major rehab (and) maintenance,” he said. “It was time that we needed to completely rebuild and start from scratch.”
The rebuild will cost $8 million, with $7 million of that coming from the city’s 3/8th-cent sales tax that helps fund parks and infrastructure. The other $1 million will come from the city’s capital improvement fund.
To rebuild a pool that the public wants, the survey breaks down public input into categories, including pool type, design theme, amenities and programming.
At two in-person open house events this summer, people have spoken with city staff and shared their thoughts by placing Post-It Notes on sandwich boards displaying four different possible designs.
Four pool concepts are proposed
- Concept A — A 3,229-square-foot activity pool with a wide zero-depth entry pool with water depths up to 24 inches. A 6,435-square-foot lifestyle pool with amenities like a sun shelf for in-water lounging, a 214-foot current channel, underwater benches and a 25-yard-wide open water area for a variety of exercise and play opportunities.
- Concept B — A 3,229-square-foot activity pool with zero depth entry. A 5,537-square-foot lifestyle pool with a wide sun shelf for water lounging and a deeper water area for diving and rock climbing, space for a water crossing activity, underwater benches and a 25-yard-wide open water area for a variety of exercise and play opportunities.
- Concept C — A slightly bigger 3,414-square-foot activity pool with a wide zero-depth entry pool with water depths up to 24 inches and a more open configuration than concepts A and B. A 7,105-square-foot lifestyle pool with a wide sun shelf for in-water lounging and a deep water area for diving and rock climbing. It also includes space for a water crossing activity in an area to the side, underwater benches and a 25-yard-wide open water area for a variety of exercise and play opportunities.
- Concept D — Similar to Concept C, a 3,413-square-foot activity pool with a zero-depth entry pool with water depths up to 24 inches in a more open configuration than concepts A and B. A 5,180-square-foot lifestyle pool with a wide sun shelf for in-water lounging to a 12-foot, 6-inch deep water area for diving. It also includes underwater benches and a 25-yard-wide open water area for a variety of exercise and play opportunities.
Some people are excited about the changes
Wagler said responses so far have been largely positive.
“People are really engaged in this process,” he said. “I think Lenexans put a premium on our quality of life stuff, things like pools and parks, they’re really excited about it.”
Many of the notes placed on the boards during an open house this week at Lenexa City Hall voiced support for the project while offering suggestions, such as ADA ramps, lap swimming lanes and more diving boards.
“I like 2 diving boards. Too bad we can’t have a high dive,” one note read.
Others don’t want Ad Astra replaced
With nearly 40 years of memories at the current Ad Astra, some Lenexans also expressed a feeling of sadness over the proposed changes.
“People that grew up using it, taught their kids got swim lessons there. Their kid was a lifeguard and they were a lifeguard (there),” Wagler said. “There’s just a tremendous amount of emotional attachment to pools and even parks … There’s a lot of desire of, like, ‘Don’t take the pool away. Don’t change a thing.'”
Through the open houses, city staff have been able to talk to people and answer questions about why the pool needs to be rebuilt.
“I think now people are starting to realize there’s some great opportunities to really refresh this thing, bring it back with some modern amenities that are gonna be a lot of fun for everyone,” he said.
This will be second Lenexa pool rebuild in as many years
In May, the city finished rebuilding the Sar-Ko-Par Aquatic Center with new amenities like dual slides, a lazy river and a climbing wall.
While there will be several new features available for Ad Astra, they will be different from Sar-Ko-Par.
“It’s gonna be a little bit more of a neighborhood feel — a little bit quieter, a little bit more calm, a little bit more social in nature,” Wagler said.
When it comes to swimming in the summer, the city wants to give people options, Wagler said.
“If you want to go have fun and get super wet and go down giant slides, you go to Sar-Ko-Par,” he said. “If you want to have a different vibe and kind of take a more of a chill day, like your grandparents want to bring grandkids, this may be a better opportunity for that.”
What’s next
The city will take the public’s feedback and present two preliminary designs to them at a community forum, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., on Sept. 11 at Lenexa City Hall.
At the event, people are welcome to voice their reservations, likes and dislikes about the designs, Wagler said.
Ad Astra Pool will be closed for all of 2025, with construction expected to begin next spring. The newly rebuilt pool is expected to open in May 2026.
Looking back: Lenexa to keep Ad Astra Pool open next year while city staff collect public input on next steps for site
