For many longtime Merriam residents, the essence of summer has been hanging out at the 50-meter Vavra Park community pool that they consider the best in Johnson County, with its high-dive board and children’s play area.
So when they found out recently that the new $30 million community center and aquatics center would lead to a smaller outdoor pool with no high-dive board, they felt blindsided over what they considered to be a broken promise from the city.
Tina Cheatham and several other residents complained Monday to the City Council that reducing the outdoor pool wasn’t explained in campaign materials before voters approved the community center sales tax in 2016. That center will be built in Vavra Park, between Ikea Way and Slater Street. While the city plans to add an indoor pool, gymnasium, fitness area, walking track, classrooms, party room and other amenities, Cheatham told the city council, “That doesn’t mean you should take away from the people who enjoy outdoor swimming.”
(Read more: KC Star Local News)