Lazy days of summer...... August, September, 2010
We hope you are enjoying
the beauty here in Platte County this summer.
Check out the cool PLACES TO GO, THINGS TO DO and WHAT'S HAPPENING
in our newsletter below and on our website at
www.friendsofplattecountyparks.org
Are you looking for a
beautiful place to spend some time? Do you want to meet others who enjoy
recreation? Do you want to see our parks, trails and recreational
opportunities in Platte County continue to grow and improve? Welcome to
the Friends of Platte County Parks & Recreation, a non-profit 501c3 fund
(frie 12) of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation in Missouri.
We
invite you to join us in making a difference in Platte County. Find out
more at www.friendsofplattecountyparks.org. You can start receiving
regular newsletters, find out about special events and get connected. Thank you
for your interest.
Margie Maasen, President
Neil Davidson, Treasurer
Jim Shoemaker, Secretary
Please pass this on to your friends,
acquaintances and family members, etc. who might enjoy hearing about parks,
trails and recreation in Platte County. Ask them to subscribe for themselves
so they don't miss a newsletter. They can sign up on our website or email
us at info@friendsofplattecountyparks.org .
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PLATTE LANDING PARK - the newest park in Platte County – 140 acres along the Missouri River in Parkville, just west of Main St. – Platte County is in the process of selecting Master Plan consultants. This park will be developed soon, but first comes the planning, the devil is in the details you know….some ideas for this park include trails, ball fields, boat ramp, ? Public input expected for Fall and Winter, 2010. RESTORING WETLANDS
ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER – The Kansas City Corps of Engineers has received
approval of their Preliminary Remediation Plan. A feasibility study will now start to restore
wetlands and bottom land forest in a portion of the Missouri River bottom
lands in MO River floodplain in the new Platte County park land in
Parkville. Contact - Carla Dods Platte
Land Trust for more info. carla3dods7@earthlink.net PLATTE
COUNTY IS RESEARCHING ADDING AQUATIC and OTHER AMENITIES to community centers, evaluating the needs/desires of residents and the
existing resources available. Platte
County/KCMO expect to study feasibility of converting
lap/competition
pool at the Springs Aquatic facility (where the Northland Swim Conference Championship
is held each year) for year round use What
other amenities would be needed at that site to make it attractive and financially
viable? Will KCMO and Platte County be
interested in partnering on that? Is it
more viable to add swim lanes/enlarge the pools at the community
centers? What other facilities/potential
partners are there- hospitals, schools, swim clubs/teams? Platte County is in the process of
evaluating consultants to help them with this process. Who visits Platte County? - This in from
Jennifer Goering, Executive Director, Platte County Convention and Visitors Bureau |
Thank you Tiffany Hills for being a
great host for the C World Series & the 14B World Series softball
tournaments. We had over 200 teams playing at Tiffany for these two
tournaments. Great job NSA – Tiffany Hills looked great & was maintained
terrific throughout all the games.
· Over
1,000 boxers will be in town the first week of August for the 2010 Ringside
World Championships at the KCI Expo Center.
· Saturday,
Aug., 7 – Platte County CVB & Parks and Rec. will have a booth at Ft.
Leavenworth’s PAIR Day. Incoming officers from across the country will be
visiting our booth to receive information on what there is to see & do in
Platte County during their stay at Ft. Leavenworth.
Platte
County Parks and Rec report a
great turn out at the Kayak event at Guy B. Park to learn how to use a Kayak
and enjoy the water and park amenities.
Trails
Day was also a big hit in KCMO and
Platte County, with many participants at the events.
Did you know we have our very own stretch of the METRO GREEN TRAIL
NETWORK right here in Platte County?
And it is growing???
Southern
Platte Pass - Trail Connection under I-29 along 64th St. - Update – agreements between Platte County, KCMO and MoDot are being
worked out to enable Phase 2 of the Southern Platte Pass Trail along NW 64th
St. to continue under the I-29 overpass.
This Platte County/KCMO
trail is federally funded and due to be extended under I-29 to the East to connect
to Gower and KCMO sidewalks along it. Expect
construction to begin in Spring 2011.
Gower Extension Update
- KCMO advises that the Gower Extension is progressing and expects work to be complete
later this summer (2010).
Line Creek Trail
advances – This meandering trail along the creek just West of Waukomis/Green Hills
Roads in heavily populated Platte County/KCMO, will cross the new Gower Extension
and could head south to Riverside and the Missouri Riverfront Trail.
We hear the city of Riverside is making great progress on their trails
network and plan to connect up Line Creek toward the KCMO Line Creek Trail.
Will we make a connection along Line Creek to the Missouri River in
Riverside/Parkville?? As shown in these plans - METRO GREEN/NORTHLAND
TRAILS/PLATTE COUNTY TRAILS/KANSAS CITY TRAILS/RIVERSIDE TRAILS.
Your opinion is
important! Let your representatives know how excited you are for this to
happen soon. The following folks are working to make this a reality:
Presiding Platte County Commissioner - Betty Knight -
BKnight@co.platte.mo.us
Platte County Commissioner - Jim Plunkett - JPlunkett@co.platte.mo.us
Platte County Commissioner - Kathy Dusenbery - KDusenbery@co.platte.mo.us
Kansas City Council Rep. - Russ Johnson -Russ_Johnson@kcmo.org
Kansas City Council Rep. - Ed Ford - Ed_Ford@kcmo.org
Southern Platte Pass Trail West to
Union Chapel (K hwy) Update - 45
highway/64th st extension west trail?
State (MoDot) has begun construction of road/trail improvement
project to include 10’ (primarily) shared use path from 9 Hwy to Union Chapel
Rd.
Sports for Every Ability –
Physical, Intellectual and Developmental - Construction has started on the
first phase new YMCA Challenger Sports Complex. The first phase of the complex, which was awarded a
$50,000 Outreach Grant for field construction and a $30,000 Outreach Grant for
playground construction, will include a baseball field with a synthetic rubber
surface, the synthetic grass turf field for soccer and flag football, an
accessible playground with transfer stations and rubber surface and a parking
lot.
The Challenger program is sports for every ability, a
program for boys and girls 5 - 30 years old with physical, intellectual and
developmental disabilities. The goal of the program is to give everyone a
chance to participate regardless of limitation.
The first phase of the project is
expected to be completed at the end of August, just in time for a Fall
Challenger Baseball League. In the interim, the YMCA is offering a Challenger/Adaptive
bowling program from July 6 - August 10 from 6 - 7 pm at AMF Northland
Lanes. Athletes are assigned to lanes and then matched up with volunteer
buddies who will assist the bowlers as they participate. For the first time
this fall, the YMCA Challenger program will offer flag football that will be
coached and assisted by volunteer buddies from August 31 - October 5. For
information about any of the YMCA Challenger programs, email Raegan Schurr or call (913)
360-3304.
The
Challenger Field expects to host a grand opening at the end of August for first
phase of the project and the capital campaign raising funds for the second
phase continues. If you would like to help with fundraising efforts or
have any questions about the project, click here, email
Michelle Ford or call (816)
360-3304.
NEW PLATTE COUNTY PARK SYSTEM PLAN ADOPTED by County Commission. For more information on this plan go to www.platteparks.com
During this study a statistical survey was taken of Platte County Residents – here are some interesting results from it.
Q 11. Most Important Functions for the Platte County Parks and Recreation Department to Provide (by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top four choices)
Operate and maintain County parks & facilities 64%
Provide safe & secure facilities & programs 62%
Provide opportunities for passive activities 46%
Provide & maintain nature & conservation areas 43%
Provide opportunities for active recreation 32%
Maintain open lines of communication w/ the public 28%
Provide longer connecting walking/biking trails 27%
Provide indoor recreation and community centers 26%
Partnering with cities, schools & non-profits 25%
Provide large regional parks 8%
Provide public golf facilities 6%
Q 14. Parks
and Recreation Facilities That Are Most Important to Respondent
Households (top 8 by % of respondents who selected the item as one of
their top 4 choices)
Walking, hiking & biking trails 56%
Nature trails & nature interpretive areas 30%
Indoor fitness & exercise facilities 29%
Children’s playgrounds 22%
Outdoor swimming pools & splash pads 20%
Picnicking areas & shelters 20%
Boating & fishing areas 17%
Q 20. Potential Benefits That Are Most Important to the Future of Platte County
(top 8) By percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices
Makes Platte County a more desirable place to live 52%
Increases property values in surrounding areas 39%
Preserves open space and the environment 30%
Helps attract new residents and businesses 30%
Preserve Platte Co historical/cultural resources 21%
Improves physical health and fitness 18%
Creative/healthy opportunities for leisure time 14%
Promotes tourism to the County 14%
Q 21. Allocation of $100 Among Various Categories of Funding for Parks and Recreation Services by percentage of respondents
Maintenance/Improvement of existing parks, trails and recreation facilities 33%
Build more walking and biking trails 20%
Acquisition of new parkland and open space 15%
Development/improvement of indoor facilities 15%
Development of new parks and recreation amenities 10%
Construction of new sports fields 7%