This story is part of an occasional KCUR series called The Regulars, about Kansas City’s neighborhood hangouts and the customers who bring them to life.
The line to get into the Springs Aquatic Center is already long before doors open at noon, and families waste no time planning their pool-day approach.
With two water slides, a lazy pool, a row of diving boards and a children’s play area, the aquatic center has plenty of options for families who want to spend their summer poolside.
Some parents tell their children to first grab chairs in the shade so they don’t have to face the beaming sun, and others get ready to dash to the water slides to break the seal and get wet first. A few start applying sunscreen before reaching the front gates.
For Katie Hoeger, heading home with flushed skin is part of the appeal.
“The perfect pool day for me is having good people and lots of snacks and a solid sunburn by the end of it,” she said.
Hoeger grew up in Platte City, just 15 minutes north of the pool. She’s been coming to the Springs at least once every summer for as long as she can remember. And as soon as she could bring her children — who were both born in the winter — she also got them in the water.
She describes her 7-month-old and 7-year-old sons as “water babies” who spend as much time in the pool as they can.
“I love being in the water, around the water. If you put me on a boat, I (will) jump off the boat and be in the water,” Hoeger said. “My children are the same way. They want to be in the water, we want to just exist in the water.”
Her oldest, Ryker, is starting to show more interest in the big water slides, but she likes that the big play area is safe for children, allowing her to take an “eagle eye” off of him.
Ryker said he loves to swim and get wet. He’s fearless as he shows off his floating skills, balancing on his back with his goggles peeking just above the water’s surface.
“I like going on the slides, and it has stairs and it has buckets that you can get dumped on,” he said.
Hoeger said there was only one community pool in her hometown, and it closed more than a decade ago. She’s grateful for the Springs, where she said her family has a lot of fun.
“It's not just like a boring, open lap pool, it is full of attraction and adventure,” Hoeger said. “It keeps them busy all day long.”
One mother-daughter duo stands out from the rest with their matching pink swimsuits.
Charley Deverger said her 4-year-old daughter, Lynna Buckley, picks out their outfits before they head over to the Springs — and they match her pink sunglasses and Minnie Mouse floaties.
“It has mermaid scales and a little tutu,” Lynna said.
A sweltering July afternoon was the first day the two made it to the Springs this summer, but they used to come often when they lived nearby.
Deverger said they visit the Springs specifically because there is so much to do, including her daughter’s favorite activity — floating around the lazy river.
“She has her swimmies, and she just goes around and around and around,” Deverger said.
“It just makes me giggle,” Lynna added.
Whether it’s the pool or a local splash pad, Deverger said they’re always doing something with water during the summer. Lynna said her favorite part is the time spent together.
“I love my mommy swimming with me,” she said, “because you need safety at the big one.”
The “big one” could refer to the competition pool lined with diving boards, each increasing in height. Kids line up for a chance to dive, flip or simply jump off — all while daring each other to do different tricks.
Carl Bradfute, an 11-year-old from California, is visiting his grandma for the month of July but is already a regular at the high dive.
“It's a diving board, just super tall, and when you jump off, you can do flips, 360s – anything really,” he said. “The only one I can do — It's a 180.”
While Carl isn’t confident in his diving skills yet, he said it’s still fun to jump off the towering boards. He makes new friends every day at the pool.
“It's where I come to have fun and relax, swim, cool off,” he said. “I like it.”
Jerome Adams, a dad from Kansas City, said he’s been coming to the pool for the past three years after moving into the area. He said the affordable entry price of $11 and attentive lifeguards are what keep him coming back.
“As a parent, you get to come out and relax, so that's a good thing,” Adams said. “You get to relax and watch your kid just unleash all the energy that they have been pent together for the week.”
Adams and his 9-year-old daughter, Jayda, spent some time floating through the lazy river. Jayda’s favorite attraction is the water slides; she and other poolgoers note the green one is the faster of the two.
While Jayda said she loves how fast the slides go, her father said he loves to watch her gain independence.
“The part that she's 9 years old and she doesn't need dad to hold her hand anymore to be adventurous,” Adams said. “That's a good thing.”
Another popular activity for kids is the “cyclone,” a whirling current of water. Jayda said it feels “like a toilet flush.”
While she enjoys all of the fun, she said staying cool is a priority when visiting the pool.
“It's hot outside and we need water to touch us because it's so hot,” she said.
Adams agreed that the heat is why the pool is so important to their summer and a much-needed opportunity to get out of the house.
“They provided the luxury for not only just me, but other parents and other children to come out here and enjoy themselves,” Adams said. “I don't know how long this has been open, but I'm glad they opened this up for us.”
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