Here's your weekly Keller recap.

The natatorium is still closed, and it just cost Keller its biggest race weekend

The KISD Natatorium has not reopened. The race organizer posted it plainly: the pool “is closed for repairs and will not reopen until after our scheduled event date.” So Sunday’s Monster Triathlon, which has run for 21 years and draws more than 700 athletes, has been converted to a run-bike-run with no swim leg at all. Saturday’s kids race keeps its swim but moves it to The Keller Pointe on Rufe Snow, while the bike and run stay at the natatorium. Families racing Saturday now need two buildings. For everyone else, the number that matters is the calendar: the pool closed in mid-May, trustees approved $357,000 for new filters in June, the district said three to four months, and the latest district hiring notice now points to mid-October. That’s five months and counting for swim lessons, high school swim and dive, and the 600-plus swimmers of Lakeside Aquatic Club. One more thing worth knowing before you vote: Proposition C on the November ballot is the natatorium fix, about $8.9 million for filtration, dehumidifiers and HVAC.

Kroger pulled its own project and has to start over

At Kroger’s own request, Council tabled the permit for the new Marketplace at Keller Parkway and Rufe Snow on Tuesday. It won’t come back until December 1, and because the fuel center changed, the whole request has to go back through the Planning and Zoning Commission first. The current plan is a grocery store, a fuel station and a drive-thru pharmacy on about 17.58 acres, with two full-access driveways on Rufe Snow and two more on North Town Center Lane. If it’s eventually approved, the Kroger you shop at now, at 976 Keller Parkway, closes. Nothing is decided, and now nothing will be for another two months.

A nail spa, a dog boarder, and a new zoning category all cleared

Council approved Earth Nail Spa at 1637 Keller Parkway, Unit 200, a 2,675-square-foot shop with 16 manicure and 10 pedicure stations and about 20 employees. It also approved Pet Care Plus at 750 S. Main, Unit 110 in Bear Creek Plaza, in the old Well Groomed space, which adds overnight and short-term boarding rather than just grooming. That one’s useful to know with fall break starting Monday. Council also created a new “Community Facilities” zoning district, which covers schools, government property and similar uses, and which requires a specific use permit before the city or a school district can put in a stadium or athletic field.

The two you’ve been waiting on are up October 20

Providence and 7 Brew were not on Tuesday’s agenda after all. Both advanced out of Planning and Zoning on September 22 and both are now scheduled for City Council on October 20. Providence is 22 lots on 20.93 acres of KISD-owned land at 901 Johnson Road, with a gated private street and 28,000-square-foot minimum lots. 7 Brew would go in the old Quickway property at Keller Parkway and Pate Orr, with proposed hours of 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. most nights and 11 p.m. on weekends.

Your school board candidates don’t agree on the bond

The Fort Worth Report published a side-by-side look at where the seven trustee candidates stand, and they split on the $828 million package. Some back the whole thing. Place 5 candidate Andrew Walsh supports the athletics and natatorium propositions while opposing the two biggest ones. Incumbent Chris Coker, who voted against putting the bond on the ballot in August over its size, did not attend the forum, and neither did Place 4 candidate Geramie Parrish. The one thing every candidate agreed on was opposing any effort to split the district. Early voting starts October 19.

The superintendent is taking bond questions October 20

The Keller Council of PTAs has a “School Bonds 101” session with Dr. Cory Wilson at 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 20, in the Texas Rooms at the Education Center, 350 Keller Parkway. He’s explaining the five propositions and taking questions. That’s the day after early voting opens, which makes it the last easy chance to ask before you fill out a ballot.

What the bond money is actually for

If the number feels abstract, the Star-Telegram walked through the condition problems behind it this week: deteriorating concrete, roof leaks and classroom cooling that doesn’t keep up. That’s what Proposition A, the $756 million piece, is meant to address across 34 campuses. Worth reading before you decide, whichever way you’re leaning.

US 377 is getting landscaped medians

Council awarded a $261,605.30 contract to Central North Construction on Tuesday for Green Ribbon landscaping and median work along US 377, with up to $400,000 in TxDOT reimbursement available. No start date or lane closure schedule has been posted yet. Expect crews in the medians on the main north-south route through town at some point, and expect it to look better when they’re done.

McAlister’s Deli is opening in November

The franchisee says early November on Keller Parkway, with a drive-thru, an 1,800-square-foot dining room seating 48, and 65 to 75 employees. Fair warning on the address: the company’s own announcement and Community Impact’s story give two different street numbers, both on Keller Parkway, so wait for a sign before you drive somewhere specific.

Something sweet is coming to Bates Street

Ashley Stone Hernandez, who runs the 139 Olive event center, bought 128 and 136 Bates Street and is turning them into The Keller Depot. The plan includes converting the old Catherine Anne’s Books building into “The Jackson Cottage” for a dessert business. Construction was set to start right after the site hosted a National Night Out party on Tuesday, with completion estimated for late this year. This is the project the city backed with a façade grant and an incentive agreement in September.

Monster Kids Triathlon
Saturday, October 10, 7:30 a.m., ages 4 to 13, about $39. Read this part carefully: the swim is at The Keller Pointe, 405 Rufe Snow Drive, and the bike and run are at 1000 Bear Creek Parkway. Two addresses, one race. Distances go from a 25-yard swim for the 4 to 6 group up to 125 yards for the 11 to 13s. It’s untimed.

Monster Triathlon, now a run-bike-run
Sunday, October 11 at 1000 Bear Creek Parkway. Transition opens at 6:15 a.m., closes at 7:15, race starts at 7:30. No swim this year. The short option is a 2-mile run, 10-mile bike and 2-mile run; the longer one has a 14.5-mile bike. About $100 with fees. Costumes are encouraged and watching is free, which makes it a decent Sunday morning with kids. Packet pickup is Friday 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday noon to 4 p.m. at Bear Creek Running Co., 121 Rufe Snow Drive.

Keller Farmers Market
Saturday, October 10, 8 a.m. to noon at Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway. Free to walk in. No theme this week.

Tomorrow is a student holiday and the district is closed all next week for fall break.

That's your Keller week. See you next Friday.