Fees to access City of Lawrence recreation centers will go into effect in January. The city on Wednesday released more information about the fees and announced upcoming info sessions.
The city has never charged Lawrence and Douglas County residents to enter recreation centers, but that is changing as part of plans to eliminate a multimillion-dollar city budget deficit.
City staff members reversed course on a similar proposal in 2023 following pushback from the public, but this year the Lawrence City Commission voted to approve a budget proposal that includes the fees. (Read more detail about the background in the articles at this link.)
All people ages 18 and up will have to pay to access Sports Pavilion Lawrence and the East Lawrence and Holcom Park recreation centers starting in January.
Rec centers will no longer serve as respite to get out of severe cold or extreme heat in the winter and summer. The restrooms and showers will only be open to people who have paid.
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The Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., will only be open to enrolled classes and reservations. There will be no free play or open access to exercise equipment for people who aren’t enrolled in classes starting Jan. 1.
Mike Courtney and Kristine Polian, newcomers who were elected Tuesday to Lawrence City Commission seats and are set to be sworn into office in December, said they would work to repeal the fees.
However, the three incumbents who remain on the commission, Mayor Mike Dever, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Commissioner Amber Sellers, all voted in favor of the 2026 budget that included rec center access fees.
Fee structure
Under the fee structure, the city will charge adult residents who live in Lawrence $12 per month or $120 per year to access SPL and the other two rec centers. Adult nonresidents, including residents of Douglas County, will be charged $15 per month or $150 per year.
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The city will charge seniors, defined as city residents ages 60 and up, $8 per month or $80 per year. Senior nonresidents will be charged $10 per month or $100 per year.
The city is “exploring participation in the SilverSneakers program” — a benefit available through some Medicare Advantage plans that offers free access to thousands of gyms and rec centers across the country, including some in Lawrence — “and hope to offer it soon,” according to the city’s website.
The fee for households — defined as up to three adults residing at the same Lawrence address — will be $20 per month or $200 per year. Households outside of Lawrence will be charged $24 per month or $240 annually.
Youths ages 5-17 who live in Douglas County will be able to access rec centers for free. Youths who live outside of Douglas County will be charged $10 per month or $100 per year.
The city will also offer day passes and 20-visit punch cards that will not expire, according to the website.
The city will offer free memberships for “qualified residents,” meaning people who apply and qualify based on their income, through the Parks and Recreation department’s scholarship application process. The information states that the application is available online and in person but does not provide a link; however, there is a scholarship application PDF form available at this link. The form indicates that a KanCare insurance card or other documentation that the applicant receives state or federal benefits will be required.
People applying for qualified resident status in person will need to apply between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Sports Pavilion Lawrence or the Community Building, though appointments are encouraged. Assistance will be also available by appointment at the Holcom Park and East Lawrence rec centers.
Here’s what the complete fee structure looks like:
20251105-LPRD-rec-center-fee-structureOther notes on fees
The city’s website on rec center access fees includes answers to many FAQs. Here are a few of the answers:
• The access fees do not include the city pool or the indoor aquatic facility. Those will still have separate access fees.
• Tournaments held at Sports Pavilion Lawrence will charge spectator fees of $5 per day for residents and nonresidents.
• Parents who are attending a program, league, practice or other activity with their child will not have to pay to enter.
• People who have enrolled and paid for programming, people who have rented facilities and their guests, and people attending public events in the facilities such as art fairs will not have to pay to enter.
• The tennis courts outside Sports Pavilion Lawrence will be available on a first-come, first-served basis or by reservation, and people will not have to pay access fees to use them. However, only those with memberships or day passes will be able to use the restrooms inside. “Using the outdoor tennis courts does not grant indoor access unless you have a court reservation,” according to the website.
• People who purchase day passes may leave and come back the same day as long as they request a wristband from staff before they leave.
More information is available at this link.
Info sessions coming up
People can start signing up for rec center access on Monday, Nov. 17, for memberships that will be effective starting Jan. 1. Those who are signing up will need to provide proof of residency, such as a state ID, homeowner insurance policy, property tax statement or current lease, for example.
City staff members will host four upcoming information sessions about the fees and to help people get registered.
“Learn what’s new, ask questions, and get help setting up your membership before the program launches,” according to a Wednesday news release from the city. “Staff will be available to walk you through registration (in person or online) and answer questions about pricing, benefits, and how memberships will work for your household.”
Those are set for:
• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17 at Sports Pavilion Lawrence, 100 Rock Chalk Lane
• 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Nov. 18 at Sports Pavilion Lawrence
• 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 19 at the East Lawrence Rec Center, 1245 E. 15th St.
• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20 at Holcom Park Rec Center, 2700 W. 27th St.
Parking at rec centers will still be free, and they are all accessible via Lawrence Transit bus routes.
People can reach Parks and Rec staff members at 785-832-3450 or parksrec@lawrenceks.org.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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