2024 PIAC Submission: Nature Playground, Basketball Court, Stone Restoration

Since it was founded the Roanoke Park Conservancy has worked with the parks department to seek PIAC funding for improvements throughout the park with great success. These requests have aligned with the 2011 Master Plan, and benefited from the strong support of nearby neighborhood associations.

The focus of the past few years has been improving the "south meadow," the lobe of the park southwest of the community center. These improvements include: renewing the tennis courts, new sidewalks, additional lighting, and entry pillars and signage. The Conservancy has been working with the parks department to provide design intent drawings for the many south meadow projects which have received funding. With that in hand, they will be able to put projects out to bid with more accuracy and fidelity to the intentions of the original PIAC requests. See our 2022 PIAC article for an explanation of the South Meadow elements. 

Our 2024 PIAC request included:

Volker Spring Nature Playground. Providing natural enhancements and outdoor play experiences on the west side of the park. Currently, the area lacks activities outside of a lone swing, nature trails, and winter sledding. We proposed the addition of a boardwalk leading from Karnes to a spring overlook, then to a naturally flat area where a nature playground could be constructed. Log scrambles, boulders, net climbers, and stumps could entertain kids while surrounding hammocks and seating could accommodate caretakers and everyone else wanting to enjoy the health benefits of nature. The "naturally flat area" is above the runout of the winter sledding. This area is accessible from the Volker neighborhood via the trail entrance off Wyoming or the Park Court staircase. 

Basketball Court. The well-used court southeast of the volleyball court is in need of a refresh. We requested a slightly larger footprint for a half court and a higher strength goal for longevity's sake. The current court is apparently asphalt and cracking at the edges. Sports court surfacing matching the tennis/pickleball courts was requested. 

Stone Wall / Pillar Restoration. Stone is an integral part of Roanoke Park's charm – both its natural stone bluffs and historic masonry walls and pillars. Historic photographs of these stone walls and pillars show the appreciation of these elements decades ago. However recent decades have seen an insuffient level of maintenance and a recent instance of vehicle damage. If left to further deteriorate they will only get more costly to repair or slowly disappear over time. 

Click the images below for pdfs of the 2024 request.

2022 PIAC Submission: Water Play, Hill Slide, Karnes Curbs

Our 2021 PIAC Presentation includes MOST of our 2022 request: Click to watch.

Since it was founded the Roanoke Park Conservancy has worked with the parks department to seek PIAC funding for improvements throughout the park with great success. These requests have aligned with the 2011 Master Plan, and benefited from the strong support of nearby neighborhoods. The focus of the past few years has been improving the "south meadow," the lobe of the park southwest of the community center. These improvements include: renewing the tennis courts, new sidewalks, additional lighting, and entry pillars and signage.

The Roanoke Park Conservancy's 2020 PIAC request was only partially funded. Our 2021 request repeated and refined some elements, and added exciting new components.

In 2022 our PIAC request includes exciting improvements to the South Meadow and fixing curbs and seeping water on Karnes Blvd.

We hope to add amenities to the tennis court / playground area including: a path around the back side of the tennis courts to view the cliffs and a planned pollinator planting; and a hand-pump water play area on the north corner of the tennis courts, and a big slide coming down from the stairs north of the tennis court. Because of the unique natural setting (bluffs, caves, and springs) we feel this provides a unique and inclusive play opportunity for all ages and abilities, especially younger children in Kansas City’s urban core. More fun, and more ways to enjoy Roanoke Park. 

Click the image below for a pdf of the 2022 request. Our 2021 video presentation at the top of this page includes explanation of the South Meadow elements. The Karnes Curbs issue is this: Several springwater seeps are leaking water onto the sidewalk across from the Karnes playground and onto the roadway. In winter these become dangerous ice patches. A double curb in envisioned to direct water to the existing stormwater inlet near the western end of this series of seeps. Apart from the springwater issue, the existing curbs are failing. 

Roanoke Park Conservancy’s 2021 PIAC win: Bat-Friendly Cave Improvements, with MDC help.

The PIAC committee granted funding for improving the cave entrance with bat-friendly grating and interpretive signage! Additional funding was sought and awarded through a Missouri Department of Conservation Community Conservation grant. We're currently working with the parks department to coordinate the project.