Thank you for your interest in Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation. We invite you to complete our short, 3-5 minute survey to help us improve our community and program offerings in 2014. If interested, please complete the survey now, or before February 15, 2014.
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Kansas City Parks and Recreation
Shepherd’s Center Central has introduced THE 50 FORWARD CLUBTM and is accepting charter memberships effective immediately. “This new club is exclusively for people age 50+ with no residency restrictions and includes a wide range of exciting benefits and inspiring opportunities. THE 50 FORWARD CLUBTM is in line with Shepherd’s Center Central’s mission over the past forty years to empower midlife and older adults to live healthy, engaged, and independent lives,” said Pam Seymour, Executive Director of Shepherd’s Center Central.
“There are two levels of membership, GOLD and SILVER, and in this instance, GOLD equals golf, thanks to a strategic partnership with the Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation Department. The buy one, get one free green fees apply daily after 12 noon at all five of the city’s golf courses – Heart of America, Hodge Park, Minor Park, Shoal Creek, and Swope Memorial,” said Sandra Aust, Director of Coming of Age Kansas City and THE 50 FORWARD CLUBTM. “In addition, the Park Board has authorized a 20% discount off the regular price on all monthly or annual fitness passes and fitness programs of KC Parks. We are very grateful for the opportunity to work together on behalf of people age 50 and older,” Aust added.
The GOLD and SILVER LEVELS include a wide range of benefits, such as discounts for continuing education, VIP invitations to special events, unique travel opportunities, first month of membership FREE at all four Northland “Y” locations, singles mixers, and direct access to Coming of Age Kansas City workshops and professional staff of Shepherd’s Center Central’s many programs and services.
Metropolitan Community College – Maple Woods will be the initial site of the new THE 50 FORWARD CLUBTM College and continuing education classes designed specifically for people in this age group. THE 50 FORWARD CLUBTM COLLEGE will be launched on Friday, April 4, 2014, and be offered every first Friday of the month thereafter.
The North Kansas City Schools will provide their Golden Pass to all THE 50 FORWARD CLUBTM members, Cruise Holidays and Comfort Tours are planning special member travel and Deborah Mason Travel and Tours will offer exciting day trips. “More member benefits are in the pipeline and we are truly grateful to all our strategic partners,” said Aust. “A membership would also make a great gift for anyone 50+,“ she added.
GOLD LEVEL charter memberships are available at $70 per person and SILVER LEVEL charter memberships are available at $20 per person. Charter memberships close March 31, 2014 at which time GOLD LEVEL memberships will be $75 per person and SILVER LEVEL memberships will be $25 per person.
For more information about exclusive benefits for THE 50 FORWARD CLUBTM or to become a charter member, visit www.sccentral.org. Memberships are available online or by requesting a form.
“We invite everyone age 50+ and older to become a charter member today and take advantage of this unique and exciting opportunity to enhance and enrich their lives,” said Aust.
For more information contact Sandra Aust, Director, at 816-444-1121 ext. 109 or email Meredith Mershon at mmershon@sccentral.org.
Effort to preserve KC’s signature fountains reaches $1 million mark
Pledges and contributions from more than 100 individuals, businesses, foundations and charitable trusts have pumped a million dollars into the seven-month-old “Wish Upon a Fountain” campaign to repair, preserve and endow Kansas City’s famous – but aging – fountains.
The fundraising effort by the non-profit City of Fountains Foundation began last June with a Festival at Union Station, followed by an on-line art auction and a summer-long public awareness campaign, featuring “Splash Mobs” and children’s activities around fountains in most urgent need of repair.
The 2013 portion of the fundraising campaign was capped by a $500,000 year-end grant from the Hall Family Foundation to help restore the long-inoperable waterfall feature at the William Volker Fountain near Volker Boulevard and Oak Street (pictured).
The goal of the City of Fountains Foundation is to generate donations and pledges of $2.5 million or more 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. Casey Cassias, President of the City of Fountains Foundation, is optimistic that the fundraising goal will be met in 2014.
“To use a fountain analogy, the pressure is building and the commitments are starting to flow,” he said. “There is genuine interest in the businesses community to fiscally adopt some of our beloved, but most endangered fountains. We hope to have several more major commitments to announce in the first quarter of 2014.”
In the meantime, Cassias said, any individual, business, foundation or charitable trust interested in contributing in some way to the Wish Upon A Fountain Campaign is encouraged to contact the City of Fountains Foundation at 816-842-2299. The City of Fountains Foundation work in partnership with KC Parks to operate and maintain Kansas City, Missouri’s 48 publicly-owned fountains.
For the past year, KC Parks has worked with Evenergy Marketing, LLC to serve as the City’s Race Manager. A change in City ordinance in 2012 transferred responsibility for permitting road racing events to Parks and Recreation. Following an extensive RFP process, Evenergy was chosen to manage the process. In January 2013, the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners entered into a one-year agreement with Evenergy and recently extended their contract through 2014.
As the City’s Race Manager, Evenergy provides a single point of contact to oversee race permit applications, coordinate city services, field calls from residents affected by street closures, and other aspects of races, walks, and bicycle rides that take place on City streets. Initial objectives included:
Sixty-five races were permitted in 2013 with positive feedback received from City residents and Race Directors alike.
“The City Of Kansas City, the KCPD and KC Parks are all pleasure to work with,” says Mark Livesay, owner of Ultramax Sports. “We have the opportunity to work in many cities around the country and KC is by far the best. I wish they all worked like you guys.”
In 2014, the Race Manager will focus on:
Kansas City, Missouri is at the forefront of race management as one of only a handful of cities to have a position dedicated to road race permitting and oversight. As walks, runs and rides become more and more prevalent, managing races becomes even more critical to balance the popularity of races with their impact on residents. KC Parks is thrilled to have Evenergy as our partner in this endeavor.
All ten of KC Parks Community Centers are always open as warming centers during regular operating hours. If you are looking for a place to escape the cold, please stop in. Centers are located throughout the city, LINK TO CENTER LOCATIONS.
A new love song is hopefully being written by “Elvis” for Berlin and Nikita, Kansas City Zoo’s rock star polar bears, in the New Year. In November, Elvis, the beagle who is known for sniffing out polar bear pregnancies, predicted that Berlin was not pregnant. Berlin continued to be monitored through the end of the year as though she was pregnant, unfortunately, Elvis was correct.
However, the “love” connection will hopefully begin again. In the next four days, Berlin could be seen by guests in Polar Bear Passage. While she will have access to her behind the scenes accommodations, she will become reacquainted with these five star digs.
If Berlin continues to be her calm and mature self, on Tuesday, she and Nikita will begin their “HOWDY”/How is the World Treating You sessions as they did last February. They will be on exhibit separately but both could be off exhibit at certain times of the day. If they are off exhibit, Zoo Keepers will be conducting “HOWDY” sessions behind the scenes. These “HOWDY” sessions begin with plenty of secure space between Nikita and Berlin so they can see and smell each other. Zoo Keepers will monitor and record their behaviors consulting with the Zoo’s Animal Curators, Veterinarians and other polar bear experts. This collaboration will help determine when to bring the bears closer yet still protected from direct contact, and then eventually get them nose to nose.
Getting polar bears to “HOWDY” is dictated completely by the two bears. Careful observation and precautions will be taken during each step of this introduction process. While we hope for a quick Love Me Tender success it will not be rushed. Progress will also be posted on the Zoo’s web site under Zoo News and on Facebook.
Even though a connection was made in 2013, it does not guarantee a connection in 2014 – nevertheless, we hope They Can’t Help Falling In Love again.
