On August 8, the City of Kansas City, Missouri dedicated a newly-built expanse of Shoal Creek Parkway between North Woodland Avenue and North Harrison Street. The $2.5-million roadway improvement extends Shoal Creek Parkway west, connecting sections of the roadway that had been separate for years. Work on the project began in late 2013 and final landscaping work will finish later this year.
Councilman Ed Ford, Parks Commissioner David Mecklenburg, Public Works Director Sherri McIntyre and Parks and Recreation Director Mark L. McHenry joined representatives of the North Kansas City School District and City staff at the brief dedication.
Tony Hawk and his Birdhouse Skateboards team will be visiting Penn Valley Skatepark on August 15 as a stop on the Birdhouse On The Road Tour. The annual Birdhouse Summer tour gives fans a great opportunity to come out and see some of the best that skateboarding has to offer at many of the finest skateparks in the north central states of the U.S.
This year’s line-up includes skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, Aaron “Jaws” Homoki, Ben Raybourn, Clint Walker, David Loy, Kevin Staab, Willy Santos, Clive Dixon, Mike Davis, Shawn Hale, and Shaun Gregoire. The skaters will be traveling in a caravan of MINI vehicles as they motor their way from state to state, capturing high-quality POV video footage of all of their skating and time on the road with Sony’s Action Cam.
“I’m excited to hit the road with our entire Birdhouse team, and to skate the best parks in the Midwest along the way,” said Tony Hawk of the tour. “See you there!”
Tour sponsors include MINI USA, Hawk Clothing, Sony Action Cam, RIDE Channel, AQUAhydrate, and HEXBUG. HEXBUG is joining the tour with Tony Hawk to give fans a sneak peek at Circuit Boards – its never-before-seen game changing twist on micro boards and ramp sets. Sponsors will be participating at tour stops with promotions, giveaways, entertainment and product demos.
2014 Tour Schedule
Monday, August 11th – Ollie’s Skatepark – Cincinnati, OH
Wednesday, August 13th – Plan–Nine Skatepark – St. Louis, MO
About Birdhouse Skateboards
Birdhouse Skateboards was founded in 1992. Tony Hawk became sole owner of the company in 2009 and refocused Birdhouse’s image and branding to reflect its incredible team of riders. Birdhouse has been prominently featured in the Tony Hawk video game franchise since 1999 and has become an international iconic brand. The company distributes and licenses skateboards and skateboard accessories worldwide, with products designed to cover all ability levels. For more about Birdhouse Skateboards, go to www.birdhouseskateboards.com.
WHO: City of Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation, City Officials and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II
WHAT: Ribbon Cutting to celebrate streetscape improvements (street lights, sidewalks, trees and planters, bus shelters, etc.) along Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, across Troost Avenue between Rockhill Road and The Paseo .
WHEN: Saturday, August 16, 2014, 10-11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Kiely Park, located at the intersection of The Paseo and Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevards, next to Gates Bar-B-Q
MORE: Orange Ribbons on Cleaver Boulevard, utilizing the color orange in 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 will be placed on street light poles in the area in honor of the event.
CONTACT: Carrie Stapleton, Phillips-West Public Relations, 816.419.2877,carrie.stapleton@phillips-west.com, if you are interested in live interviews earlier in the morning or for photo opportunities.
Community event will close out successful summer youth programming.
Mayor James recently announced that the third annual “Sly’s Rock the Block” celebration will take place on Saturday, August 16 at Union Station in the south parking lot. This free event, produced by the Mayor’s Office of Civic and Community Engagement and the City of Kansas City’s Parks and Recreation Department, will feature family-friendly activities from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. with free food for the first 4,000 people from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. The Phantastics will provide live entertainment, with more acts to be added in the coming days. Julee Jonez and Brian B. Shynin’ from Hot 103 Jamz will co-host Sly’s Rock the Block. At 8 p.m. the event will transition to the final night of Club KC for middle and high school students.
Additionally, the Mayor is pleased to report that so far this summer, nearly 7,000+ visits have been made to Mayor’s Nights events, including Club KC. A new arts component, thanks to ArtsTech, Boys and Girls Club and movie nights hosted by the Plaza branch of the Kansas City Public Library added a new dimension to Club KC. “This has been another successful summer of fun and safe events for our community’s youth,” said Mayor Sly James. “We’ve been able to build on the successes of previous Mayor’s Nights programming and add more activities geared towards young artists. Part of being a forward-thinking community means embracing our young leaders and these types of activities show our youth that we care about them and are willing to invest in them.”
WHEN: Friday, August 15, 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, August 16, Noon-10 p.m.; and Sunday, August 17, Noon-6 p.m. Adult admission is $3 and children, 12 and under, are free if accompanied by an adult.
WHERE: Swope Park bandstand near the park’s main gate at Meyer & Swope Parkway. Parking is free.
MORE: The festival, one of the largest and longest-running of its kind, annually attracts more than 35,000 visitors. The 2014 festival features food, crafts and culture from 65 countries. Each country hosts a booth that displays and sells authentic food, artifacts and crafts from their respective country. The festival also has a Beer Garden offering domestic and imported beer selections from around the world. Stage entertainment includes performances by a different ethnic group every 30 minutes and the traditional and majestic “Parade of Flags” that begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
Area artists are painting Kansas City’s iconic fountains this summer to help raise $2,500,000 for nine aging fountains that need immediate and critical repair. Artists will offer their fountain artwork to the non-profit City of Fountains Foundation for an exhibit and on-line auction that begins September 5. The paintings will be featured at Buttonwood Art Space, 3013 Main, for the month of September. A First Friday reception will open on September 5, from 5-9 p.m., showing interested buyers the actual paintings up close and personal and offer the public a chance to meet the artist.
Bidding for the paintings begins September 5 at www.kcfountains.org . The bidding will continue until midnight September 25. Winning bidders can pick up their purchases at Buttonwood on September 29 & 30. Half of the proceeds from the auction will go to the participating artists whose framed creations were sold on-line, and half to the foundation’s Wish Upon a Fountain campaign.
Kansas City fountains with the most pressing restoration needs include:
Seville Light Fountain/Country Club Plaza
J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain/Country Club Plaza
Westside Fountain/ Summit and Southwest Blvd
William Volker Memorial Fountain/Volker Blvd & Oak St.
Delbert Haff Memorial Fountain/Meyer Blvd at Swope Parkway
Spirit of Freedom Fountain/ Cleaver II Blvd & Cleveland
Children’s Fountain/North Oak at Highway 9 in NKC
Seahorse Fountain (Meyer Circle Fountain)/Meyer Blvd & Ward Parkway
Firefighters Fountain/ 31st Street between Broadway & SW Trafficway
For more information please contact: Joanie Shields 913-908-7840
On August 8, the City of Kansas City, Missouri dedicated a newly-built expanse of Shoal Creek Parkway between North Woodland Avenue and North Harrison Street. The $2.5-million roadway improvement extends Shoal Creek Parkway west, connecting sections of the roadway that had been separate for years. Work on the project began in late 2013 and final landscaping work will finish later this year.
