Stop two on our journey toward a new Master Plan for Roanoke Park.

Since March, 2010, 97 neighbors have found a way to get involved in with the growing group of talented, proactive and devoted fans and neighbors of the 100+ year old Roanoke Park. This very interesting, diverse group has engaged in discussing, planning, researching, brush clearing and battling invasive plants, all to the benefit of Roanoke Park. Over the summer, 211 neighborhood residents participated in a park survey, forming a beginning point for the Master Plan journey.

The commonality among the group’s diversity is the shared belief that the park is an important community asset.

On October 9, 2010, the biggest investment in thought about Roanoke Park since the days of George Kessler occurred. Thirty-eight individuals gave their day in the charrette stage of a new Master Plan for Roanoke Park. The consensus of the group is that it was an amazing experience with exciting results!

Included in the 38 people who convened to “honor the past and plant the future” of Roanoke Park were:

• 1 forester from MO Dept of Conservation,
• 1 professional artist who lent his perspective as a team leader,
• 1 naturalist who, after research, has begun to help us plant appropriate indigenous plants in some of the areas previously dominated by foreign invasives,
• 2 professional discussion facilitators,
• 2 degreed landscape architects,
• 2 highly regarded architects who are now interpreting the inputs from the charrette into a first draft design proposal,
• 2 professional photographers to document the proceedings that are now being prepared for the website,
• 3 people from Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation, including the Director and Deputy Director.
• The 2 geologists who have previously been with us in the park and are doing work-ups for the project were among those unable to attend.

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