Community Is Our Middle Name
Since opening our doors more than 110 years ago, we have welcomed people of all faiths and cultures to live, learn, and celebrate in an environment that perpetuates wellness, meaning, and joy. One thing that has always remained the same: the warmth and kindness we emanate every day in this special place so many call “home.”
In the last five years, The J has seen tremendous growth in membership, with 48% more members today than our highest membership level pre-pandemic. This summer, more than 30,000 individual check ins occurred at the pool entrance alone. We have also seen incredible growth in ticket sales at The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre, with numbers doubling from our 2018-2019 season to our current 2025-2026 season.
Our Expansion Story
The J is launching an ambitious expansion project, designed to enrich lives and strengthen our community as it continues at a constant rate of growth. This initiative focuses on two areas: a new indoor recreational pool and the renovation of The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre.
The new indoor pool will be a year-round hub for fitness, fun, and connection. Featuring zero-entry access for young children and individuals with disabilities, and plans for a lazy river, interactive water features, and a slide, this pool will support activities for every age and ability, making healthy living more accessible to everyone.
Upgrades to The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre will modernize the venue with improved seating, providing a better experience for our arts & culture patrons, ensuring the theatre will remain a vibrant space for creative expression and community engagement for years to come.
Join us in shaping a brighter, more inclusive future at The J, where community, creativity, and wellness thrive.
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Highlights of The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre Upgrade
- Enhanced audience comfort and convenience through the replacement of new, upgraded seating, including cupholder armrests
- Improved accessibility for all guests
- An increase in ADA seating
- Enhanced sightlines by replacing the current sloped floor with a more raked “stadium” seating section
- Repositioned sound and lighting consoles
- Improved acoustics through a refinishing of all acoustical surfaces
- Enhanced projection booth accessibility
Highlights of our new Indoor Aquatic Center
- Zero-depth entry pool
- Dynamic play structure and splash pad
- Gentle lazy river
- Water slide
- Splash pad
- Water vortex
- Designated birthday party spaces
- Family-friendly changing rooms
- Pool deck lockers for parents on the go
- Separate pool areas to host swim meets, lessons, and parties simultaneously—without disruption
Making Waves for a Better Tomorrow
For over 30 years, The J’s 25-yard indoor pool has served our community, but it’s time for a transformation. The current design, with a minimum depth of 4’6”, limits safe access for young children and lacks the playful features that make swimming fun for families. At the same time, one pool is trying to be everything to everyone, hosting lap swimmers, swim lessons, water aerobics, aqua therapy, and recreational play all in the same space. The result? Overcrowding, scheduling challenges, and unmet needs across the board.
For our future, we envision a modern aquatic center with multiple bodies of water, each designed for specific uses. Imagine a warm-water pool for therapy and gentle exercise, cooler lap lanes for serious swimmers, and a shallow, interactive splash area where children can safely play and learn to swim.
Our reimagined aquatic space will also feature modern conveniences to enhance comfort and accessibility: family changing rooms, pool deck lockers for parents on the go, and separate pool areas to allow multiple activities – such as swim meets, lessons, and parties – to happen simultaneously without disruption.
This is more than an upgrade; it’s an investment in health, community, and the future of The J and a space that is now a vibrant, inclusive hub where families and individuals of all ages can play, relax, and thrive year-round.
For more information on how to help make this vision a reality, please contact:
- Bailey Nakelsky, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at 913-981-8896 or Email Bailey
- Cindy Bodker, Director of Philanthropy, at 913-981-8807 or Email Cindy