Goal of redeveloped activity center is to create ‘stronger, more connected community’

Old Town Lenexa has a new look.

Sections of the wanted and needed redevelopment project of the city’s Old Town Activity Center at 13420 Oak St. are beginning to unfold.

“This project originated from the parks and recreation master plan and New Look at Old Town Study in which residents indicated a desire to reinvest in the community center and senior center,” said Logan Wagler, Lenexa Parks & Recreation director. “Additionally, the recreational programming and facility usage has grown significantly and the improvements will better serve the users, the neighborhood and the community.”

The project has been a long time coming.

A study was done in 2018-2019. The project was approved by the city and scheduled to start in 2020.

“The pandemic put things on hold temporarily,” Wagler said.

Work on the project started in 2022. Two aging structures — the Lenexa Community Center and the Senior Center campus — are being consolidated and transformed. A list of improvements includes accessibility improvements, expansion of senior program areas, outdoor pickleball courts and gathering spaces, restroom and locker room updates, replacement of building facade and a public art installation.

Wagler said the construction of the eastern portion of the facility is nearly complete. That will be the new home for the senior center and adult programming.

“Once we transition to the new senior wing, the contractor will begin demo of the existing senior center and work can begin on the west end of the complex, including the outdoor recreational areas,” Wagler said.

Wagler notes the reasons for the facility’s location.

“Lenexa continues to reinvest in existing areas of the city and Old Town is a very important part of the community,” he said. “One of the main drivers was to better connect the site to historic Old Town and draw more visitors to the area.”

Changing recreation trends and needs were considered.

“Recreational needs and desires can change rapidly, so with facilities like this, you have to create spaces that are flexible and can adapt to meet the community’s needs,” Wagler said.

For example, the pickleball courts were part of the original study as a placeholder but continue to be a high priority for the community, Wagler said.

He said one significant change to the facility was the idea of a full-day summer camp to help address the growing need around daycare for working parents.

“Additionally, the customer service functions of facility needed to improve to ensure high quality experiences for everyone visiting the facility,” Wagler said.

The Lenexa Art Council formed a committee to determine what type of art would work best with the facility and complement the city’s public art inventory. The committee decided a mural would work best. The community selected “Meet Me in Lenexa,” by Evan “Doodle Dood” Brown, a Kansas City-based painter and illustrator. The mural installation will begin later this year.

The project has eager patrons, said Joel Patterson, Old Town Activity Center manager.

“The opening of the renovated Lenexa Old Town Activity Center is an exciting moment for our community,” Patterson said.

“We are looking forward to the opportunity to better serve, support, and enhance the lives of everyone here. With expanded programs, longer hours and enhanced resources, this amazing space will help us build a stronger, more connected community for all to enjoy.”