Lawrence city commissioners voted 3-1 Tuesday to keep the recreational facilities at the Community Building fee-free to use for the remainder of the year.
Commissioners agreed that they could take the estimated $39,000 cost from the city’s fund balance.
The city previously never charged Lawrence and Douglas County residents fees to access recreation centers, but that changed at the start of the year as part of plans to eliminate a portion of a multimillion-dollar city budget deficit.
City staff plans had called for the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St. in downtown Lawrence, to no longer offer free play, and for its use to be limited to only people who are enrolled in programming or those who pay to rent the building.
However, commissioners voted in December to keep the Community Building open to offer free access for a trial period of three months. They then agreed in March to extend free access through June.
Lindsay Hart, interim director of Parks, Recreation and Culture, said the building had seen 6,830 visits from January through May 25. That was more than double the number of visitors over the same period last year, when the building saw about 3,100 visits, she said; however, staff members weren’t as diligent about asking people to swipe their cards upon entry in previous years, so the data is skewed.
Mayor Brad Finkeldei, Vice Mayor Mike Courtney and Commissioner Amber Sellers voted in favor of no fees at the Community Building for the remainder of 2026; Commissioner Mike Dever voted in opposition.
For next year, commissioners would like to see an option to keep the Community Building fee-free in the city manager’s proposed budget, which they will discuss again during their July 7 meeting. City staff members estimated that the cost for the entire year would be $69,000.
Sports Pavilion Lawrence and the Holcom Park and East Lawrence rec centers charge access fees.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at [email protected]. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
More coverage:
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
