KC Parks News

Four Races Impact Weekend Traffic

The City of Kansas City, Mo., is notifying motorists that four separate races will impact traffic in the Vineyard/Vineyard West Neighborhoods, along The Paseo Boulevard and on the Plaza on Sept. 12th and 13th.

On Saturday, the DeFeet Hunger 5k will begin at 8 a.m. at 55^th Street and The Paseo Boulevard. The race will go north along The Paseo Boulevard to 49^th Terrace and then returns south to 56^th Street and The Paseo Boulevard. For a detailed race route and map, visit http://kcraceday.org/races/defeet-hunger-5k/

The Spirit of Freedom Walk will also take place at 8 a.m. Saturday in the Vineyard/Vineyard Estates Neighborhoods at 3700 Blue Parkway and end at the Spirit of Freedom Fountain at 4700 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. For a detailed race route and map, visit http://kcraceday.org/races/spirit-freedom-walk/

The Martini Mile race begins at 1 p.m. Saturday at 31^st and Oak in Mid-Town where it heads east on 31st St, north on Gillham, west on E 30th Street, north on Grand Avenue, west on E 29th Street, south on Walnut Street, east on E. 30th Street, south on DeGroff Way, east on 31st Street to finish at 31st and Oak. The Martini Mile Race is a 4-member team relay running the one mile loop in succession. For a detailed race route and map, visit http://kcraceday.org/races/martini-mile/

On Sunday, the Plaza 10k and 2 mile run will begin at 7:30 a.m. The 2 mile race begins at Ward Parkway and Central and ends on Ward Parkway. The 10k race also begins on Ward Parkway and Central where it will head south toward Brookside and end at Brookside Boulevard and Ward Parkway. For a detailed race route and map, visit http://kcraceday.org/races/plaza-10k/

Please observe caution and obey all posted detours and barricades.

For more information or media inquiries about these closures, please contact Jenny Chronister, Kansas City race manager, at 816-588-2793.

Swope Soccer Village Phase II Opens

After ten months of intense activity, Phase II of construction at Swope Soccer Village officially concluded on August 29 and league play at the new Swope Park facility commenced on September 5. The official opening/dedication will take place on September 12.

This $13 million recreational sports facility expansion consists of three phases.  Phase I, completed in November of 2013, involved the creation of a Championship Field that hosted the Big 12 Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament.

Phase II improvements include five new synthetic fields, new lighting, new fencing, upgraded restrooms and concessions, landscaping, enhancements to plaza areas, expanded and upgraded parking, and improvements to Lewis Road including new curbs and gutters throughout the complex.  Also, in Phase II is the installation of a new sculptural artwork, commissioned as part of the City’s One Percent for Art program, by local artist Jake Balcom of Mettle Design.  The artwork “Triple Blome” features three progressive sculptural forms each beginning with the geometric shape of a soccer ball—known as a “Truncated Icosahedron.”  Each of the three hollow metal forms sits atop 10′ steel posts.  The transparency of the sculptural elements creates moving shadows on the adjacent plaza throughout the day, enhancing the visual interest of the artwork.

Phase III will increase the total square footage of space within the training facility and will include enhancements to locker rooms, training rooms, and provide facilities for both male and female athletes and officials during tournament play.  These improvements, along with a new press box installed adjacent to the Championship Field, were instrumental in the City’s ability to secure commitments from the Big 12 and NCAA Division II and III to host future men’s and women’s championship soccer events through 2017.  This third and final phase is anticipated to be completed in March 2015.

Fountains Exhibit and Auction Opens on First Friday

Kansas City’s favorite art walk, First Friday in the Crossroads district, has a surprise in store for visitors on Septrember 5.  Art Walk revelers will be transported by bus from the Crossroads to the Buttonwood Art Space at 3013 Main to see a full house of new paintings of Kansas City’s famous fountains. The featured art is part of the City of Fountains Foundation’s On-line Art Auction to raise funds for local fountains in need of repair.

The bus, which arrives at the NE corner of 20^th and Main every 20 minutes from 5-8 p.m., will  bring revelers south to the Buttonwood to see the fountain paintings and return them to the same location. Artists will be available at the Buttonwood from 5-8 to interact with the visitors who will enjoy traditional First Friday refreshments. Bidding for the paintings will begin that evening at the gallery and ends September 25th.

Artists began painting at local fountains in June and completed their Plein Air works in August for submittal to the second On-line Art Auction. The first Auction in 2013 raised over $4000 to repair local fountains that are the target of the Foundations Wish Upon A Fountain campaign. The effort, which began in 2013, hopes to raise $3.2 million for the nine fountains in need of critical repairs.  Kansas City has opened its pockets to the tune of over $2 million to date but over $1 million is still needed to return the fountains to their original condition. Artists are certainly doing their share by offering 50% of the sale of their work for the fountains.

Visitors can view the large collection at the Buttonwood on Septrember 5 and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.weekdays through September 25 when the bidding for the art at the on-line at www.kcfountains.com ends. All of Kansas City now has an opportunity to help the fountains and get an original work of fountain art by purchasing it at the on-line auction.

Orangutan Canopy Ground Breaking at KC Zoo

Construction of Kansas City Zoo’s new Orangutan Canopy is underway as the official ground breaking took place on Wednesday, August 27.

Designed to highlight the fascinating aspects of orangutans, the 3,400 square foot outdoor habitat will challenge their dexterity and intelligence. From the forest floor to the treetops, there will be motivational tools to encourage instinctual behaviors. A grove of artificial and flexible yet extremely strong trees, poles and vines will provide climbing, exploring and resting areas above the naturally planted contoured forest floor. Guests will view the orangutans from several vantage points including a canopy level open-air shelter with a 40’ long viewing window. Nearby, a special access door will allow Zoo Keepers to conduct live demonstrations and training exercises delighting the senses of all ages.

The indoor renovated orangutan room is being transformed into an “Orangutan University.” Brightly painted walls, new skylights and colorful climbing structures create a fitness studio for orangutans and a learning lab for them and our guests. Interactions between orangutans and guests via computer monitors make comparisons and offer understandings of the close cognitive and physical traits humans share with these apes.

Making the transition between the canopy and “Orangutan University” is a hillside trail boasting climbing structures, orangutan exercises and educational conservation messages. Education concerning the largest tree-living mammals in the world is important. In 2014, the Orangutan Conservancy believes orangutans lost over 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years with only about 40,000 orangutans remaining in Borneo and Sumatra. That’s 20,000 less than 10 years ago.

The Zoological District along with many donors helped make Orangutan Canopy possible. A special thank you to the foundations of: the Hall Family, Sunderland, Sosland, Dixon Family and the Cohen Family, for their APE-mazing support of Orangutan Canopy and their continued fondness of the Kansas City Zoo.
Designed with the great, wise orangutan in mind, careful thought and precise measurements were considered to let their immense physical, social and intellectual abilities run “wild.” Orangutan Canopy is scheduled to open to the public in the summer of 2015.

Garden Faire Coming to Loose Park

Garden Faire is shaping up to be an autumnal garden extravaganza!

On Saturday, September 20, Gardeners Connect, with the help of KC Parks, has put together a day of gardening programs and information sharing  involving  a variety of horticultural groups in the Kansas City area.

In addition, there will be a sale of donated garden books in the Fern Room in the basement of the Garden Center. As in years passed, books will be affordably priced.

A tent in front of the Garden Center will host short programs beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. Affiliate organizations of Gardeners Connect will give programs that will change every half hour. Some of the groups plan to have free drawings for prizes right after their program. Be sure to get a door prize ticket. There will also be children’s activities.

In addition, affiliate organizations will have tables set up in the Rose Room of the Garden Center where their members can answer questions about their specialties and groups.

Schedule of Presentations (subject to change)

9 a.m. — Johnson County Master Gardeners, Johnson County Master Gardener Bud Smith plans to talk about “Container Gardening.”

9:30 a.m. — Greater Kansas City Herb Study Group Lynn Soulier, an avid organic gardener and co-creator of Gardens of Delight near Parkville Mo., a center for natural healing, will talk about “Tending the Herbal Tea Garden.”

10 a.m. — Orchid Society of Greater Kansas City, Mark Prout will give a presentation on orchid growing basics.

10:30 a.m. — Powell Gardens, Jennifer Barnes, senior gardener for the Perennial Garden at Powell Gardens.

11 a.m. — Heartland Hosta & Shade Plant Society, Phil Alley, an avid hosta collector who with his wife, Gayle, has created a hosta wonderland in acres of gardens around his hand-built log cabin home near Greenwood, Mo., will talk about creating their garden in a program titled “The Evolution of a Garden”

11:30 a.m. — Heartland Peony Society

Noon —  Monarch Watch, Communications Coordinator Angie Babbit will talk about “Creating a Monarch Habitat in your Garden.”

12:30 p.m. — Greater Kansas City Iris Society, Jerry Hoke, president of the iris society, will demonstrate and discuss iris dividing and care.

1 p.m. — Mo-Kan Daylily Society

1:30 p.m. — Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City, Master Gardener Chris Veach will talk about “Beneficial Bugs in the Garden.”

2 p.m. —  Greater Kansas City Cactus & Succulent Society, Judy Pigue will talk about “Growing Cacti and Succulents in Kansas City.”

2:30 p.m. — Greater Kansas City Dahlia Society

3 p.m. — Kansas City Rose Society, Katrina Stevenson, board member of the Kansas City Rose Society

3:30 p.m. — Mid-America Begonia Society

Other groups whose leaders have acknowledged interest in taking part in Garden Faire: Bonsai Society of Greater Kansas City, Heart of America Gesneriad Society and the Johnson County Rose Society.

Celebration Held for Cleaver Blvd. II Streetscape Improvements

On August 16, Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation Commissioners, City Officials, and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate streetscape improvements along Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard from Rockhill Road to The Paseo. Orange Ribbons on Cleaver Boulevard  was the theme to honor of the spirit of the boulevard’s namesake, Emanuel Cleaver II, who believes “there is more power in unity than division”.  The color orange is said to represent cultural diversity, racial harmony and civility. Decorative orange ribbons were placed on street light poles in the area in honor of the event and an orange ribbon was used for the ceremonial ribbon cutting.

Streetscape improvements include:

• Mill, overlay and re-stripe lane configuration, adding bike lanes
• New curb and sidewalk
• New street lights and pedestrian lights
• Decorative stamped concrete crosswalks at Troost, and at Tracy
• Stormwater planters, street trees and other landscaping from Harrison east to The Paseo
• New semi-custom Bus Shelters, with solar powered LED lighting, in 3 locations