Robinson Center pools to close

LAWRENCE — Beginning June 1, the swimming pools in Robinson Center will no longer be available to KU students, faculty or staff for open swimming, the University of Kansas has announced. The Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences, which managed and maintained the pools, is no longer providing swim-related programming. That change, along with difficulty in hiring lifeguards, contributed to the decision to cease open swim hours this summer. A decision whether to reinstate open swim hours for the academic year will be made at a later date. The KU Swimming & Diving teams will continue to have access to the pools for training.

The university is in the process of developing a new master plan to identify campus facility needs and align facilities planning with KU’s institutional vision and strategic plan. Included in that process is an assessment of health, wellness and recreational facilities, including pools and other aquatic facilities. The research and assessment phases of the master planning process is expected to be complete in January 2023.

Lawrence Parks & Recreation provides two alternatives for open swimming. The Outdoor Aquatic Center at 727 Kentucky St. will be open June 6 through August 14. The Indoor Aquatic Center at 4706 Overland Drive is generally open year-round. Additional information is available on the Lawrence Park’s and Recreation Aquatics website.