South Meadow Concept: A big slide into sand, play boulders and seating, and a path behind the tennis courts along a pollinator planting.

South Meadow Concept Submitted to PIAC

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 for further improvements to the South Meadow.

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 sand play area south of the tennis courts with a naturalistic play set and a big slide coming down from the sidewalk.

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 images below to view pdf documents of the 2020 request. 

New tennis courts are on the way. Click for more pictures.

Roanoke Park Continues to Benefit from Public Infrastructure Advisory Committee Funds

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 south meadow shows the results and more are on the way! Hopeful signs of good days after we make it through together.

Currently funded PIAC improvements will add to the already completed work within Roanoke Park’s south meadow: the 2014 playground replacement, the new sidewalk and lighting along the north side, the winding ADA sidewalk between the tennis courts / playground and the west entrance, and replacing the handrails on the north staircase. In 2018 we requested solving the erosion problems and shortcut paths along the winding sidewalk with durable flagstone paving, and entrance pillars / lighting at the southwest entrance. Those projects are winding their way through the process and may come to fruition later in 2020.

Most dramatically, this summer and fall you can expect to see the fruits of earlier PIAC requests in the form of NEW TENNIS COURTS. Yes, they will also be striped for PICKLEBALL. The purchase order for the tennis court contractor has been approved and pending any unforeseen delays (which there are a lot of these days) work should proceed in the months ahead!

In 2019, another master plan aligned request was made to continue the momentum: we hope to add amenities to the tennis court / playground area including: a naturalistic water play area as well as adult and family play areas next to the soon to be rehabilitated tennis courts. A future option is a new slide for the playground coming down through the trees next to the north staircase.

Click the images below to view pdf documents of the 2019 request. Unfortunately we have learned that the below request was not approved. We will reformulate it to refine the plans and TRY AGAIN next year.