Roanoke Park PARTY was a great success

March 28, 2014 at Prospero's Uptown Books

Just ONE way to enjoy Roanoke Park in 2014. Click for the rest of the 14 in '14 gallery.About 85 adults (plus a few of their kids) had FUN and got an update on the NEW Playgrounds in Roanoke Park at this free event. Decorating the windows were fourteen ways to have fun in Roanoke Park in 2014. Check out the 14 in '14 gallery here or on facebook.com/RoanokeParkKC. All enjoyed the free food and drinks, socializing and listening to some great music afterwards. Several exciting announcements were made:

RPC board director Scott Burnett got it started by thanking those who made the event possible: Prospero's Uptown Books, Papa Murphy's Pizza, Boulevard Beer, Shannon and the Rhythm King Band, and the many Roanoke Park Conservancy (RPC) volunteers and donors.

Here are images of the new playsets we'll be receiving. Click for a blow up. (©gametime.com)RPC board secretary Randy Moore outlined just a few of the positive steps our donations, hard work and City cooperation and funding have made possible in Roanoke Park as part of the long term Master Plan: removing tons of shrub honeysuckle, building new sidewalks and stairs, building the Bio Swale and (getting the most applause,) the Trails. He also announced a couple of new Master Plan items to look for in 2014. Better pedestrian lighting is to be installed to complement the new sidewalks. Also on the lighting front, the big bluff columns at the intersection of Karnes and Roanoke Boulevard will be enhanced with some tasteful up-lighting.

RPC Playground Task Force leader Rachel Porter gave an update on plans for replacing the north playground on Karnes with a creative and innovative playground as conceived by the Playground Charrette in January. She announced that $75,000 in PIAC money was officially earmarked for the project, giving the fundraising for this endeavor a major kick start. Rachel called up Gavin Snider of Hufft Projects to note how Hufft and the task force continue to develop plans for this playground.

Rachel also outlined an exciting event to put in place the two new playsets headed to Roanoke Park from the Parks Department. With help from the parks department and playground company reps, we'll come together for a Playground Building Party and have fun putting the sets together ourselves, capped with a party afterwards hosted by the Parks department and the Conservancy. These playsets will be installed near the tennis courts, closer to the community center. Once the new ones are done, the old playset on the far side of the tennis courts will be removed. Expect an invitation this summer!

The Coleman Highlands Spring area plan. Click for a blowup and more information.RPC volunteer naturalist Chris DeLong announced that a Missouri Department of Conservation Urban Conservation Grant has been won by the Roanoke Park Conservancy. A proposal was submitted in February to improve and create habitat in the Coleman Highlands Spring area north of Karnes Boulevard by expanding the wetland area into which the spring drains, removing invasive plant species, planting native plants, building a new trail connection and placing educational signage. $3,500 will be directed to the park from MDC, leveraging many thousands more in your matching donations and in-kind contributions from the KCMO Parks Department and Earth Riders Trails Association. See the Spring Proposal Handout for more info and check back for more details.

Mary Watkins wrapped up the announcements with a call for donations to fund all the good work being done for Roanoke Park by the Conservancy and all it's volunteers. The call was heard loud and clear in the room as almost $2,000 was raised to benefit the park. If you missed your chance to give, head on over to the Donate to the Park page on this website and make your tax-deductible contribution today.

THANK YOU to all who attended and we'll see you in the park!

Special thanks to park fans Boulevard Brewery and Shannon and the Rhythm King Band for making the event a success.

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