Kansas City celebrates new outdoor pool at Tony Aguirre Community Center

Yahoo

2 days ago

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City's Westside celebrated a new $4.3 million neighborhood upgrade Monday afternoon – an outdoor pool and water area.
Many people were in attendance Monday to celebrate the opening of the new outdoor pool, as a place not only to cool off, but to connect. Family members of the community center's namesake, Tony Aguirre, were also in attendance.
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'We are driving by every day, and the kids are like 'when does it open?,'' Monique Ortiz, a parent who lives nearby, shared with FOX4 Monday. 'We usually have to drive pretty far to go to a pool, so we don't have to do that anymore.'
The city said it features a deep-water pool with a diving board, climbing wall, zero-entry pool, water slide and a waterplay structure.
'This project highlights the Parks Department's commitment to creating accessible and recreational spaces for our community,' the city said.
The multi-million-dollar amenity was funded by GO (general obligation) bonds.
'Back in 2022, we were running around the city, and saying 'hey, there is this important question about parks on the ballot.'' Mayor Quinton Lucas shared Monday.
'The people of Kansas City, by a vote of 71 percent to 29 percent, voted yes for Parks—yes for our communities and yes for our kids.'
Councilman Crispin Rea said Monday that this place will also provide an opportunity for many to learn life-saving skills, like swimming.
'We know what the drowning rates are for Black and brown kids in neighborhoods that don't have access to pools,' Rea shared.
Aquatics Manager Donald Strother said the pool is replacing the Jarboe Pool that closed right before the COVID-19 pandemic.
'I hope they enjoy it,' he said. 'I hope they are able to say the city is able to deliver on some of their asks of the citizens, and we are here to fill voids.'
The outdoor pool will be open from noon to 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for those under the age of 18 and $3 for senior citizens.
The Tony Aguirre Community Center is located at 2050 West Pennway.
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