Editor’s note: This story is part of a series examining the 10-year Parks and Recreation master plan approved by the City Commission. The plan is based on survey results from residents about what they want to see in Eudora and includes renovations to existing parks, new parks and other initiatives to better recreation in town.
Indoor pickleball courts, an updated gym floor and renovations to the pool are among the items the Parks and Rec Department is considering in its long-term plans.
With the new master plan in place, city staff have to weigh the importance of maintaining aging infrastructure while also supplying residents with new and innovative activities/initiatives.
The Community Center and pool were completed in 2007 and now are needing maintenance to keep up with normal needs. The gym floor needs updated, a new roof is needed for the building, HVAC always needs upgrades and basketball hoop motors have to be replaced regularly. New stall doors for the bathrooms are also needed down the line, Parks and Rec Director Sally Pennnington said.
There is also a desire for indoor pickleball courts and more space for workout equipment in the fitness room. The room recently got new leased cardio equipment.
The department is out of space in the current Community Center, not just in terms of space for residents to use, but also for office and storage space for staff, Pennington said.
Some people want to see the fitness room expanded into the community room, but that room was rented out over 1,800 hours last year, Pennington said. Weighing different people’s values and interests have to be taken into account to make sure everyone is still able to do the things they focus on at the center, she said.
Long-term plans take into account the possibility of expanding the current Rec Center vertically, other private developers coming to town and the city’s need to purchase property to add additional amenities, Pennington said.
There are also conversations about a partnership between the Parks Department and whoever will fill the space in the proposed STAR bond district south of K-10. That space could allow Parks and Rec to use its space for activities but wouldn’t necessarily be run by the city, Pennington said.
As far as the pool, the current infrastructure requires a lot of upkeep, and making sure it’s being maintained while also thinking about new water features or a splash pad at the Rec or on Main Street are also ongoing conversations, she said.
There are a lot of hidden expenses that go into making the pool run, and it wouldn’t have been fiscally responsible to spend money on fun aspects when the pool was still losing water or when they needed a new fence around the pool, she said. Both the plumbing and new fence have since been completed.
Conversations about adding a new big slide have been discussed, as well. Renovations or upgrades on the pool are also hard because the pool is constantly being used for swim lessons, regular open swim, parties, senior aquatics and lap lanes, she said.
“I think, little by little, now that we are structurally sound, it’s what can we add to make this even better?” Pennington said.
All the groups that use the pool, whether it’s the seniors, kids’ pool parties, or swim team, all want different things, too, Assistant Parks and Rec Director Jimmy Kegin said.
A lot of people in a recent resident survey also voiced interest in an indoor pool in some capacity. This is something not immediately possible for the city since there is currently no land owned to make it happen, but the conversation also needs to be about what people want out of that pool, whether it’s just lap lanes, therapeutic or a full aquatic center, Pennington said.
A partnership opportunity for something like that could also be a conversation down the line with the City Commission and community, she said.
The following capital improvement plan ideas/budget were also included in the master plan:
The plan also shared the major components that make up the department’s annual revenue generation:
The projects included in this year’s capital improvement plan for the Parks and Recreation Department will be presented at a future budget meeting as the City Commission continues to plan for the 2026 budget.
The city staff immediate recommendation for the commission will likely include repairs to the gym roof at the Rec Center and enhancements to the ball fields. There will also be $30,000 in other park improvements that will be detailed at future meetings.
Projects for 2026 will be geared toward maintaining existing areas with the necessary improvements to keep them running at a high-level, Interim City Manager Zack Daniel said. Pilla Park will be the primary infrastructure project for the department in the coming budget.
The renovations to Pilla Park will also set the tone to further improvements for the boat ramp, Main Street and CPA Park, he said.
