On Tuesday, Mayor Sharon Powell watched Excelsior Springs take another step toward achieving a dream it has pursued, by her estimate, for the 46 years she has lived here. Under overcast skies that afternoon, Powell and other community leaders participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the outdoor pool at the Excelsior Springs Community Center, scheduled for completion in 2023. “When we built the community center, we were really sad that there just … (weren’t) funds to this outdoor aquatics piece,” she said during a short speech. “But two years ago, we had an opportunity to refinance our bonds, and … in that time, saved enough in our bonds to have the money to build this. And so, we are so excited to be here today to break ground – and next year, we’ll be here at this time swimming.” Changing attitudes helped Powell maintain her hopes, as a longtime resident, that an outdoor pool would become a reality, she said during an interview. “Our town has kind of progressively become very…