The new Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center has opened in Lenexa

Shawnee Mission aquatic center opens

The new Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center has opened at 17251 W. 87th Street Parkway in Lenexa’s rapidly developing City Center area.

A dedication ceremony for the $28 million facility was scheduled for Dec. 5, just before the first swim meet on Dec. 7.

The building, financed with bond money approved by school district voters in 2015, includes two pools, a diving well and bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators, with additional seating for viewers on the mezzanine. The 50-meter pool is the largest in Johnson County, the city said, and part of the smaller pool has a movable floor with depths ranging from zero to 7 feet.

“The SMSD Aquatic Center location provides convenient interstate access from anywhere in the metro area,” the school district said in a news release. “The 30-minute drive from the airport makes the facility a suitable destination for large regional and national meets.”

Although the school district owns the building, the Johnson County Park and Recreation District oversees day-to-day operations and provides programming for the public.

Lenexa donated the land and allocated $2.2 million to cover half the cost of a 220-stall parking garage just west of the aquatic center. Anyone visiting Lenexa City Center can use the garage when no swim and dive tournaments are scheduled, the city said.

No repairs forthcoming on Turkey Creek Trail

Overland Park won’t rebuild its storm-damaged Turkey Creek Trail — a $7.56 million proposition that would cost more than six times the trail’s initial construction cost of $1.2 million.

The city closed the middle part of Overland Park’s one-mile section after heavy rains in 2016 and 2017 caused some of the pavement to collapse and rocks to tumble down from the hillside above the trail, which generally runs above Interstate 35 between Antioch Road and Metcalf Avenue.

An engineering study showed that the east side of the trail needed some repairs and that more sliding could occur on the west side.

As an alternative to the full reconstruction costing more than $7 million, the engineers proposed keeping the center part closed and stabilizing the remaining sections. That would cost nearly $2 million.

The city applied for federal money to fix the trail, but was denied. On Dec. 2, a City Council committee opted to do nothing.

At least for now, bicyclists and pedestrians can continue to exercise on the usable parts of the path, but the city said it will close the trail altogether if it’s deemed unsafe. The trail opened 2013.

Shawnee sports complexes to be upgraded

Two aging sports complexes in Shawnee will be upgraded over the next six years by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

The district has earmarked nearly $45 million for the Mid-America and Mid-America West sports complexes, which date to the early 1990s. The work will include installation of synthetic turf, lighting, concessions, restrooms, walkways and security cameras.

The money was included in the park district’s latest five-year capital improvements plan, approved last month.

“Heavy use and deteriorating conditions at the sports complexes has triggered the decision to reinvest in these popular facilities that serve hundreds of thousands of visitors each year,” the park system’s executive director, Jeff Stewart, said in a news release. “The improvements …. will greatly improve playing conditions, safety, accessibility and visitor experiences.”

Private developers built the Mid-America Sports complex in 1991 and the West facility in 1994, the county said. The park district later purchased them.

Early upcoming projects include court flooring replacement at Mid-America West’s Okun Fieldhouse, and work on four softball fields at the other facility.

Street light switch saves money for Lenexa

Lenexa estimates that the city is saving about $300,000 a year in electricity costs, now that it has converted about 65% of its streetlights to LED technology.

The city eventually will convert all of its streetlights to LED, which produces whiter light and uses longer-lasting bulbs that need to be changed out far less often.

Compared to the traditional high-pressure sodium lights, the city said, LED streetlights can cut electricity consumption by more than half.

Noontime New Year’s Eve for kids

Kids can experience some New Year’s Eve hoopla without staying up until midnight, as the Johnson County parks system offers Kids’ Countdown, which culminates 12 hours earlier on Dec. 31.

Designed for ages 6 to 12, the event will begin with games and activities at 10:30 a.m. at the Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse, 9101 Nall Ave. in Prairie Village.

The cost for the two-hour event, including lunch, is $13 for Johnson County residents or $15 for nonresidents. For more information or to register by phone, call 913-831-3359. To register at www.jcprd.com, click on “Register for Activities,” and search for course ID 24083.

Canines to model the latest fashions

When fashion models are dogs, do they sashay down the runway as humans do?

The Jewish Community Center will give us a chance to find out on Dec. 17 when it presents its first Pooch Palooza Fashion Show and Benefit to usher in the Hanukkah holiday.

The adults-only show will feature canines modeling fashions with their humans in tow. Among the participants are Kansas City Chiefs long snapper James Winchester and Gunner, his Australian Shepherd.

Pooch Palooza will begin at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Community Campus, 5801 W. 115th St. in Overland Park. It starts with a pet vendor and organization fair, followed by the show at 7:30 and then a reception.

The cost to attend is $12 plus two dog items — food or toys — for Jasmine’s Corner, a pet food pantry that’s part of the Jewish Family Services Food Pantry. Other proceeds will go to pet-friendly organizations. Get tickets at TheJKC.org/PoochPalooza.

Heritage Center artwork

Through Dec. 20, the community has a chance to see 200 artworks created by older adults who have taken classes through the Heritage Center of the Jewish Community Center. The Heritage Center offers six different art classes throughout the year for older people.

Artists from 65 to 95 years of age have produced the watercolors, oil paintings, ceramics, sculptures and mixed media pieces that make up the Dorothy & Leonard Klein Senior Art Exhibit in the Galleria of the Jewish Community Campus, 5801 W. 115th St. in Overland Park. Most of the works are not for sale, but if someone is interested in a piece, the Heritage Center can put them in touch with the artist.

The Heritage Center provides adults 65 and older with a gathering place for a variety of educational, cultural, spiritual, fitness and social programs. The current display features.

This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 12:00 AM with the headline "The new Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center has opened in Lenexa."