Posted on Wed, Jun. 18, 2003
Parks board moves ahead to create more recreational areas in Northland
By MATT CAMPBELL
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City parks officials took steps Tuesday toward creating two recreational areas in fast-growing Platte County that will cost more than $64 million.
The Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners approved plans for a large sports development south of Kansas City International Airport in an area the size of New York's Central Park.
The new park's cost is estimated at $56 million.
The board also approved a partnership with the Platte County parks department to create an $8.25 million indoor aquatics center nearby at Tiffany Springs Road and North Congress Avenue.
Funding for neither project is ensured, but the Kansas City Council soon will be asked to approve a multiyear allocation to pay for starting the aquatics center.
The new sports park would improve and enhance existing ball diamonds and soccer fields at Tiffany Springs Park, a wooded 850-acre area near Missouri 152 and Interstate 435.
An updated master plan by WRS Architects Inc., approved Tuesday by the parks board, envisions new soccer fields and adult softball fields, a 24-court tennis center, an 18-hole training golf course, an indoor ice rink and an area for sports such as skateboarding, bicycle motocross racing and rock climbing.
Those amenities would be within a rustic area that would be developed with a 19-acre lake for boating, horse and walking trails and a nature center.
"It's worth doing," said the parks director, Terry Dopson, who was attending his last board meeting before retiring after 15 years at the helm of the parks department.
The master plan estimates a cost of $56 million to develop the park and add two pieces of property to increase its size to more than 1,000 acres. But the more expensive sport facilities could attract private investment.
"So many of these things are things that could be privatized and put out," said Parks Commissioner Bob Lewellen. "And that spurs the public money."
Steven Bauer of WRS Architects said the park could be built in about a decade, depending on market conditions. Bauer noted that the park is within 15 minutes of the new sports-related developments in Wyandotte County and within five minutes of thousands of hotel rooms near KCI.
The proposed aquatic center, which would include indoor leisure and competition pools, would be built east of Tiffany Springs Park near Interstate 29.
Platte County officials have committed $2 million and Kansas City parks officials have earmarked $1.75 million for that project.
A resolution passed Tuesday asked the City Council to set aside $1.5 million more in sales-tax revenue annually from 2006 to 2008 to complete the financial package.
If the council agrees, Platte County will issue bonds so construction could begin within a year. Kansas City would own the 7-acre site.
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To reach Matt Campbell, call (816) 234-4905 or send e-mail to mcampbell@kcstar.com.