KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Kansas, officials will drain Parkwood Pool over the weekend, a city spokesperson confirmed to KSHB 41 News.
The pool is not open for the 2021 season due to a labor shortage and ongoing COVID-19 concerns.
However, the Unified Government filled the pool located at 950 Quindaro Blvd. in late May for maintenance.
With the pool also closed for the 2020 season due to COVID-19, the spokesperson said the city needed to make sure no deferred maintenance issues would keep it closed in 2022, too.
Signs were posted around the pool, but neighbors said it is difficult to keep kids away while out of school in the warm summer months.
In June, a group of kids scaled the fence to go swimming.
A 13-year-old boy jumped into the deep end and only resurfaced once before his friends realized he needed help.
They ran to a nearby fire station and first responders on the scene told KSHB 41 News the boy was at the very bottom of the pool, not moving.
His friends told the emergency responders they thought he may have been underwater for around 10 minutes.
About a week later, the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office reported he no longer had any brain activity and was on life support.
KSHB 41 News has reached out for an update on his status.
Pools across the city and country have been faced with lifeguard shortages in 2021.
The KCK spokesperson said it has created a paid lifeguard work-study training program to incentivize young people to pursue the job.
The program started this week.
The city is hopeful the program will springboard swimming lesson options during the school year.
Parkwood Pool is the only public pool in KCK, though the city does have splash parks available for residents:
- Eisenhower Park: behind Eisenhower Middle School: 2901 N 72nd St
- Pierson Park: 1800 S 55th
- Heathwood Park: N 10th & Parallel Pkwy
