As a service to our residents, the City of Kansas City, Mo., sends occasional notices about temporary road closures due to outdoor races to help residents better plan their weekends and avoid inconvenient road closures or delays. Two events may impact traffic in the Crossroads Arts District and the Westside on April 5 and 6.
The Walk for Wishes will begin at Crown Center South on Grand Boulevard on Saturday, April 5. Rolling road closures will take place from about 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the following route: east on 26th Street, north on Warwick Trafficway, north on Pershing Road which turns into McGee Street, west on 22nd Street, south on Grand Boulevard, turnaround, north on Grand Boulevard, west on Oklahoma Street, south through Washington Square Park, south on Pershing Road, and finishing south on Grand Boulevard. For more information, visit www.walkforwisheskc.com.
The Brew to Brew Run starts at Boulevard Brewery, 2501 Southwest Blvd., on Sunday, April 6. Rolling road closures will begin about 10 a.m. on the following route: north on Southwest Boulevard under the railroad overpass, west on 22nd Street, north on Allen Avenue to the 23rd Street Viaduct and west into Kansas. For more information, visit www.brewtobrew.com.
Just in time for Fountain Day, the City of Kansas City, Mo.’s quintessential J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain will receive a major upgrade. Grundfos, a global pump manufacturer, performed an energy audit on the fountain to identify its most efficient solution and donated a new, energy-efficient pump. The City estimates that the new pump will use 60 percent less energy than its predecessor and save the City about $10,760 in annual energy costs. The pump’s installation will take place Wednesday, March 26 at 9 a.m.
“Thanks to Grundfos’ donation, the City can continue to maintain Kansas City’s best known and most photographed fountain,” said City Manager Troy Schulte. “The new pump presents both energy and cost savings for the City, and we appreciate the energy audit because we are always working to be more efficient with City services.”
A 25 horsepower, variable speed, MLE motor will replace the old 75 horsepower motor without sacrificing the required pressure or flow. The new motor is capable of fine-tuning the flow based on demand, and the control makes it possible to save energy by shutting the fountain off overnight. To ensure that the fountain continues to operate correctly, the City will be able monitor its performance remotely. The new system serves 100 percent of the demand using one third of the energy.
The installation will be complete by Fountain Day on Tuesday, April 8. A celebration unique to Kansas City, Fountain Day marks the occasion when the City turns on its 48 public fountains, including the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain. This year’s Fountain Day event will take place on April 8 at 11 a.m. at the Eagle Scout Memorial Fountain at 39th and Gillham streets.
The J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain is located at the Country Club Plaza’s east entrance. Its figures were sculpted by Henri Greber in 1910 and originally resided in a private mansion on Long Island. It was brought to Kansas City in 1951, refurbished and dedicated in 1960. The fountain features four heroic horsemen, which are said to represent the four rivers of the world: the Mississippi River, the Volga River, the Seine and the Rhine.
Grundfos donated the energy audit and pump to the non-profit City of Fountains Foundation, as part of the foundation’s Wish Upon a Fountain Campaign. The foundation’s goal is to generate $2.5 million in donations and pledges to restore eight fountains deemed in critical need of major repairs, and to preserve and endow the City’s 48 fountains, all of which need, or will soon need, repairs and upgrades that exceed the City’s limited maintenance budget.
Grundfos is a Denmark-based pump manufacturer with U.S. headquarters in Greater Kansas City. It has provided energy efficient solutions to Sporting Park, Kauffman Stadium, the Kauffman Center of Performing Arts and more. Last year, Ingram’s Magazine named Grundfos one of the top 100 privately held companies in Kansas City.
The City of Kansas City, Mo., is notifying motorists that the Ability 5K race and the Run or Dye 5K race will affect traffic in Kansas City on Saturday, March 29 in the morning. Please note, police are prepared to allow motorists to cross the routes when they deem it safe for the participants.
The Run or Dye 5K takes place from about 9-11:30 a.m. and will close State Line Road between American Royal Drive and Butler Way; and Butler Way between State Line Road and Genessee Street. Learn more at http://www.runordye.com/locations/Kansas-City.
As a service to our residents, the City of Kansas City, Mo., sends occasional notices about temporary road closures due to outdoor races to help residents better plan their weekends and avoid inconvenient road closures or delays.
Download your copy of KC Parks 2013 Year In Review! There is a plethora of information including completed projects, facts and figures, special events and highlights from the past year featured in the booklet. KC Parks 2013 Year in Review.
Artists from across the country will gather for a four-day Paint-Off, May 7-10, to capture the natural beauty of Penn Valley Park, en plein air, while competing for $4,000 in prizes. The event will conclude with a gala reception and auction to showcase the art, with proceeds benefitting the Penn Valley Park Conservancy.
The Penn Valley Park Conservancy will present the 2014 Penn Valley Park Plein Air Fest, a unique artists’ competition and art lovers’ event thatwill showcase the exceptional beauty of Penn Valley Park and raise funds to preserve and promote Penn Valley Park as a vital urban green space in Kansas City.
The 2014 Plein Air Fest is expected to draw artists from across the country for a four-day “Paint-Off,” where artists are tasked with capturing the spirit and beauty of the park through painting en plein air. Plein air painting challenges artists to work fast, to capture a quickly changingenvironment onto paper or canvas. Artists will have from 8 a.m. May 7th through 4 p.m. May 10th to compete in the Paint-Off. In addition, three “Quick Paint” competitions, where artists compete in timed events within a designated area, will be held on May 8th 5-7 p.m., May 9th 5-7 p.m.,and May 10th noon-2 p.m.
Nationally recognized plein air artist Phil Starke will judge all competitions, and selected works of art will be displayed at Buttonwood Art Space in downtown Kansas City and auctioned at areception at the close of the event. Mr. Starke will be conducting a three-day workshop for plein air artists, as well as performing a free plein air instructional demonstration for high schoolstudents on May 10th.
The 2014 Plein Air Fest will culminate in a ticketed reception and preview party at Buttonwood to showcase the art, award prizes, and offer the art for sale. After the reception an exhibit of the artwork will be held at Buttonwood until July 25, 2014.
“This is the perfect family event for anyone who loves art, Kansas City, and the great outdoors,”says Kirk Peterson, Chair of the Plein Air Fest. “There’s no admission fee for the public, and allare welcome to just stop by the park and watch painters from across the country gather to create dramatic reinterpretations of nature and the city. It should be a wonderful event and outdoor opportunity.”
For more information about the 2014 Plein Air Fest, please visit pennvalleypark.org.
About Penn Valley Park
Penn Valley Park is one of the natural jewels of Kansas City. In 1893, under the direction of George Kessler, the Kansas City Park Board established its park and boulevard system that initially blessed this city with 10 miles of boulevards and 325 acres of parks, becoming a model for park and boulevard systems in cities throughout the United States. Penn Valley Park and its 175 beautiful acres, which George Kessler believed were “intended by nature for park purposes,” were at the heart of this plan. To this day, the park continues to pay homage to his masterful skill as a landscape architect, acting as a home to a lake, tennis courts, skateboard park, softball fields, dog park, and fitness trail, as well as the Liberty Memorial, World War I Museum and several memorials.
About Penn Valley Park Conservancy
Penn Valley Park Conservancy is a 501(c) (3) corporation formed in March 2010 by community volunteers. Its goal is to preserve and enhance historic Penn Valley Park as a vital urban green space and as a recreational and cultural resource for the enjoyment of all through education, advocacy and public/private partnerships. To do this, PVPC acts as a collective voice for Stakeholders and as a leader in parks and recreation management for Penn Valley Park by connecting people to green space, history, active living, and the community in a financially sustainable manner.
As a service to our residents, the City of Kansas City, Mo., sends occasional notices about temporary road closures due to outdoor races and parades to help residents better plan their weekends and avoid inconvenient road closures or delays.
The City is notifying motorists that two races and three parades celebrating St. Patrick’s Day will affect traffic in Kansas City March 15-17. Please note, police are prepared to allow motorists to cross the routes when they deem it safe for the participants.
The Westport St. Patrick’s Day Run will close the following streets Saturday, March 15 from about 9:45 a.m. to noon:
Westport Road between Pennsylvania and Clark avenues
Clark Avenue between Westport Road and 43rd Street
43rd Street between Clark Avenue and Warwick Boulevard
Warwick Boulevard between 43rd and 38th streets
38th Street between Warwick Boulevard and Gillham Road
Gillham Road between 38th Street and Linwood Boulevard
Linwood Boulevard between Gillham Road and Broadway Boulevard
Broadway Boulevard between 33rd and 34th streets
34th Street between Broadway Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue between 34th Street and Westport Road
The Martin City Whiskey Run and the Martin City St. Patrick’s Parade will close the following streets Sunday, March 16 from about 7-9:30 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.
135th Street between Locust and Wyandotte streets
Wyandotte Street between 135th and Washington streets
Washington Street between Wyandotte Street and 135th Street
