photo by: Journal-World File

Lawrence's Outdoor Aquatic Center at 727 Kentucky St.

The City of Lawrence announced Thursday it will push back the construction timeline for a major renovation to its Outdoor Aquatic Center, with the goal of completing the project in 2027.

The city said in a press release the project will now be completed in two phases “to avoid overlap and minimize disruption.” The first phase will include building improvements that will focus on renovating the restrooms. The city expects that phase to start in late 2025 and be completed before the swim season in 2026. The second phase of construction will focus on improvements to the aquatic area, with work expected to start in late 2026 and be finished before summer 2027.

“This isn’t the timeline we originally planned, but it’s the right move. It keeps the pool open, aligns with other major infrastructure work, and still delivers the needed improvements,” Luis Ruiz, the Director of the Parks, Recreation and Culture department, said in a press release.

The city said part of the reason for the change is to accommodate the Jayhawk Watershed Project, which included construction right next to the pool. A portion of Tennessee Street between Sixth and Ninth Streets has been closed since April as part of upgrades to the stormwater system, as the Journal-World reported.

Initially, the city anticipated construction on the renovation project to take place this summer, with a grand opening scheduled for 2026. The scope of the project also changed. In August 2024, City Commissioners approved a renovation to Lawrence’s public pool that would add features like a lazy river, a 2,300-square-foot splash pad and shallow pool, but it proposed reducing the total pool space at the center. This reduction in pool space led to public concern about the design, prompting 1,700 people to sign a petition to reconsider the approved design, as the Journal-World reported.

Last October, the commission instead voiced support for a plan that would keep the current configuration of the pool. In November, the commissioners approved the current renovation concept, and the construction cost is estimated to be just over $4.7 million — cheaper than the $6.1 million plan that was initially approved. The renovation will include a rehabilitation of the current pool space, including plans to separate the shallow pool from the main pool and adding an ADA ramp entry.

photo by: City of Lawrence

One design concept for the shallow pool in the city’s renovation of the Outdoor Aquatic Center.