The City of Wichita is getting ready to close its public swimming pools for the summer season. The Harvest and Minisa pools have already closed, and the Labor Day weekend will be the final one for four other pools.
The Aley and McAfee pools will have their last day of operation on September 3rd, while the Orchard and College Hill pools will close on September 4th. The pools have only been open on weekends.
The city’s aquatics director, Joe Martin, said preliminary numbers have around 64,000 people visiting the pools during the past summer, and around 3,700 people attended swimming lessons. There were 100 season passes that were sold.
The city has closed the splash pads at Fairmount, Lincoln, Old Town and Osage parks. The remaining splash pads at Boston, Evergreen, Edgemoor, Buffalo, Linwood and Riverside parks will be open through October 2nd.
Martin said the Park and Recreation Department is working with Wichita police on the installation of security cameras at the pools. The cameras would be monitored by police. The cost of the security improvements has not been budgeted, but Martin said department officials are working with police on a security assessment and they will be working with vendors on the pricing of the security upgrades.
Vandalism has caused about $65,000 in damage to the swimming pools this year.
