Playground Charrette participants enjoying the creative ideas presented during the wrap up session. Click for a blowup.
A message from Rachel Porter (Coleman Highlands) & Lindsay Severns (Roanoke)
Roanoke Park Playgrounds Task Force:
The Playgrounds Brainstorming Session was a great success. Nearly 60 interested neighbors and park fans attended the charrette on January 18th at the Westport Roanoke Community Center. Parks Department head Mark McHenry came, along with landscape architect Heather Runkel and superintendent Forest Decker. Gavin and Dan from Hufft Projects helped facilitate the meeting along with Playgrounds Task Force leaders Rachel Porter and Lindsay Severns.
We're happy to announce that Parks and Rec has given the charrette exercise some instant feedback in the form of directing new playground equipment to be installed this spring in Roanoke Park! It will replace the oldest play equipment which is by the tennis courts.
We are assured that accepting this equipment for the tennis court location will not affect future funding for a re-imagined Karnes location playground. We heard you loud and clear and we want to make our Karnes site one of great creativity and beauty. We are very grateful for the fast response of Parks and Rec by giving Roanoke Park new equipment to serve our 2 - 12 population. It will be something our kids can play on this spring/summer! We have tentatively been slated for some funding for Karnes and we will update you when we have more information.
Have more to add or want to be involved? Contact Rachel and Lindsay: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This question was asked at the brainstorming session and here are the results. Click the image to download a pdf with a bit more info. (Thanks to Hufft Projects for compiling the data and producing the pdf.
The original Roanoke Park Master Plan was endorsed by KCMO Parks and Recreation on October 26, 2011. Now we are pleased to announce that the Roanoke Park Conservancy Board this month approved a document detailing progress thus far and adding a great deal of detail to the PLANS. This puts us even closer to achieving the goals of the Master Plan. Continue reading to see how you can get a copy of the Roanoke Park Master Plan Progress Report including an Ecological Restoration Master Plan.
The Master Plan is the guiding document used by the KCMO Parks Department and the Roanoke Park Conservancy Board in bringing new activities, amenities and capital improvements to the park. The new Progress Report includes capital accomplishments to date made possible by PIAC grants and private donations, projects already under contract, and future plans awaiting funding.
AND, the Progress Report includes an ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION MASTER PLAN for all the Park's treasured woods. This restoration plan fleshes out goals contained in the 2011 Master Plan and envisions a ten-year restoration of the park's woods, glades and springs to the "bit of wilderness" described in 1907. The 28 page report is available for download from this website.
Thank You for your interest in the continuing efforts to improve Roanoke Park. You can download the new Master Plan Progress Report and Ecological Restoration Plan at the link below. You can also read about and download the original 2011 Master Plan on the Master Plan Approved! article.
Roanoke Lookout
Around the time we were enjoying the Roanoke Park Picnic on October 23, word came of a significant private donation and matching contributions to establish a fund for a specific capital project benefitting Roanoke Park. The project is on a part of the park next to the Roanoke Neighborhood: the land adjacent Valentine Road, to the south of the Westport-Roanoke Community Center.
There are several people to thank for this. First the Roanoke Homes Association – especially Board Member Josh Sitzer whose guidance developed the idea for the RHA to take a lead position among the nearby neighborhoods. The RHA's generous $5,000 contribution to the park is the first really major cash commitment from an entire neighborhood, adding to the now over 2,000 man hours contributed from among all of the neighborhoods. And thanks to Matthew Hufft who provided a rendering of Pete Browne’s fine idea for an improvement that would be especially appealing to Roanoke’s residents. See below for a pdf of Hufft Projects concept for the installation of a landing at the top of stairs that will eventually provide another access into the park from the Roanoke neighborhood. And, Pete Browne was also the ringleader for obtaining the $5,000 matching donation, getting commitments from a few of his long time clients/friends that have been supportive of his civic work. They committed cash and Pete has committed his firm to help stretch the construction budget.
Click Read More for more information and a link to the design proposal.
Trail Maps, in various formats:
Roanoke_Park_Trails.pdf (417 kb).
Roanoke Park Trees and Trails Google Map
"Roanoke Park Tour" on MTBProject.com
To avoid damaging trails, check Trail Status before biking or hiking off road. ("Rozarks" = Roanoke Park's 2.5 miles plus Rosedale's 3.5 miles.)
Contact the Westport-Roanoke Community Center to find out about their facilities or inquire about reserving spaces.