Water parks and pools around the Kansas City area opened in time for local swimmers to cool off Memorial Day Weekend.
Lifeguard shortages and maintenance issues delayed last year’s swimming season, with more than a third of Kansas City’s pools closed by the July 4 holiday. Even with higher pay and free certification classes, the city struggled to keep enough lifeguards to finish out the season.
Those struggles extended to the Kansas side as well, where cities had to keep some of their pools closed for the season.
Here’s a look at the uptick in available swim spots for families across the metro this year.
Kansas City, Missouri
Pools opened May 27 in Kansas City. The four major outdoor pools are open daily from noon to 7 p.m. until August 13, while the city’s two indoor pools are open year-round with varied open swim hours. The city’s two water parks are open noon to 8 p.m. until Labor Day, but will only be open on weekends once school starts.
The indoor pool at the Southeast Community Center is closed for construction. The city’s parks and recreation department plans to open Gorman Pool later this summer, but hasn’t yet set an opening date.
Water parks
Location: 7101 Longview Rd., Kansas City, MO, 64134
Daily admission: $6 for under 48” tall, $8 for 48” and taller and $7 for seniors
Location: 9400 N Congress Ave. Kansas City, MO 64153
Daily admission: $8 for under 48” tall, $11 for 48” and taller and $9 for seniors
Outdoor pools
Brush Creek Community Center Pool
Location: 3801 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64130
Daily admission: $4 for 2 years and older
Location: 5600 Budd Park Espl St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Daily admission: $4 for 2 years and older
Location: 1500 Benton Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64127
Daily admission: $4 for 2 years and older
Line Creek Community Center Pool
Location: 5940 NW Waukomis Dr, Kansas City, MO 64151
Daily admission: $4 for 2 years and older
Indoor pools
Gregg Klice Community Center Pool
Location: 51600 E 17th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64108
Open Swim admission: $2 for ages 17 and under, $5 for adults, $3 for seniors
Tony Aguirre Community Center Pool
Location: 2050 W Pennway St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Open Swim admission: $2 for ages 17 and under, $5 for adults, $3 for seniors
Jackson County, Missouri
Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Summit Waves in Lee’s Summit opened May 27 and will close August 20. It’s open from noon to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. The pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Memorial Day.
Location: 120 SW Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
Daily admission: $9 for Lee’s Summit residents, $12 for non-residents
Independence, Missouri
The Adventure Oasis Water Park opened in Independence on May 27. It’s open to Independence residents weekdays from noon to 7 p.m., weekends from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and holidays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: 2100 Hub Dr., Independence, MO 64050
Daily admission: $9 for Independence residents
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Parkwood Pool, the only public pool in Kansas City, Kansas, opened on May 27. The pool reopened last year after a two-year shutdown because of the pandemic and a lifeguard shortage. It’s open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The city’s parks and recreation department said it signed a year-long contract with Midwest Pool Management to fill the number of lifeguards needed to open the pool safely.
Location: 950 Quindaro Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66101
Daily admission: $2 for all ages
Bonner Springs, Kansas
The Bonner Springs Aquatic Park opened on May 27 for the summer season ending on August 13. The park holds open-swim sessions daily from noon to 7 p.m.
Location: 950 Quindaro Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66101
Open Swim admission: $3 for 2 years and younger, $6 for 3 years old and older
Johnson County, Kansas
Overland Park, Kansas
Three pools in Overland Park opened this Sunday and will stay open through early August. A fourth swimming spot, Bluejacket Pool, will remain closed after city officials found a “significant water leak” while preparing the pool to open. Pools are open from noon to 7 p.m. daily at all locations.
Location: 9701 Antioch Rd., Overland Park, KS 66212
Daily admission: $8 for all ages
Location: 11950 Lowell Ave, Overland Park, KS 66213
Daily admission: $8 for all ages
Location: 11950 Lowell Ave, Overland Park, KS 66204
Daily admission: $8 for all ages
Fairway, Kansas
The Fairway Pool opened on May 27 and closes its summer season on September 4. The pool will be open from noon to 8 p.m. until August 14. It will then be open on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. and weekends from noon to 8 p.m. for the rest of the season.
Location: 6136 Mission Rd, Fairway, KS 66205
Daily admission: $6 for Fairway residents, $9 for non-residents
Leawood, Kansas
The Leawood Aquatic Center opened on May 27 and is open 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily until August 14. After that date, the center will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and weekends from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The pool’s last day open will be Labor Day.
Location: 10601 Lee Blvd., Leawood, KS, 66206
Daily admission: $6 for Leawood residents, $9 for non-residents
Lenexa, Kansas
Two outdoor pools in Lenexa will open for the summer season from May 27 to August 6. Both locations are open from noon to 7:30 p.m. daily, while the Indian Trails Aquatic Center is closed this season while it undergoes a $15 million renovation.
Location: 8265 Maurer Rd., Lenexa, KS 66219
Daily admission: $5 for Lenexa residents, $7 for non-residents
Location: 13120 W. 103rd St., Lenexa, KS 66215
Daily admission: $5 for Lenexa residents, $7 for non-residents
Mission, Kansas
The Mission Family Aquatic Center opened May 27 and is open daily. The center is open from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Location: 5930 W 61st St, Mission, KS 66202
Daily admission: $7 for all ages
Prairie Village, Kansas
The pool in Prairie Village opened on May 27 for the summer season. Until Aug. 6, the pool opens daily from noon to 8 p.m. Then the weekday pool hours will shift to 2 to 8 p.m. until August 13. For the rest of the season, weekday hours will shift again to 4:30 to 8 p.m.
Location: 7711 Delmar St., Prairie Village, KS 66208
Daily admission: $10 for residents and non-residents.
Shawnee, Kansas
The Thomas A. Soetaert Aquatic Center opened in Shawnee on Saturday. The pool is open from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends.
Thomas A. Soetaert Aquatic Center
Location: 13805 Johnson Dr, Shawnee, KS 66216
Daily admission: $6 for Shawnee residents, $10 for non-residents.
Merriam, Kansas
The outdoor pool in Merriam is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. The pool will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on opening day, then noon to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Location: 6040 Slater Street
Daily admission: $9 for adult residents, $7 youth or senior residents, $11 for adult non-residents, and $9 for youth and senior non-residents
