Cliff drive proposed as downtown area giant hiking/biking trail

[Sportster]

Its not a rumor - here's a quote from the proposal itself.
We were told to hold off til after the "formal" announcement.
Guess its out there now!
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A major focus of the Car Free Weekends on Cliff Drive program is to provide opportunities in places where people live and work to become healthier both physically and mentally by introducing physical activity into the community. This program, also, offers the opportunity to encourage the preservation and care of green spaces and natural environments so they can be enjoyed by future generations. The Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood, the Cliff Drive Corridor Management Committee, Kansas City Police Department and  Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation will be working together to encourage non-motorized activities on Historic Cliff Drive located in George E. Kessler Park as part of park planning and programming. The use of non-traditional transportation corridors, such as historic Cliff Drive, for non-motorized uses will add to a healthy community by providing a unique opportunity to exercise and recreate.

Potential Future Opportunities

The Car Free Weekends on Cliff Drive program has the potential to evolve into a destination attraction for diverse members of the community who choose to participate in non-motorized recreational activities. Participation is largely self determined and will occur spontaneously each weekend requiring minimal oversight and supervision. It is likely that as visitation increases there will be opportunities for surrounding businesses in the area to benefit from those participants who seek services related to their activities while they are in the Cliff Drive area. People who go to Cliff Drive could very likely be interested in food, beverage and other entertainment venues of interest while in the area. This interest could be economically beneficial to the surrounding community and help stabilize the area making it more attractive for tourism.

Future improvements on Cliff Drive to support expanded activities will be necessary and can be expected to include the following:

• Additional benches
• Bicycle racks
• Additional trash receptacles
• Dog waste stations
• Drinking Fountains
• Permanent restroom facilities
• Distance markers
• Program brochures
• Development of off-road trails
• Completion of the restoration of Cliff Drive including storm water drainage, cut stone curbing and stone wall repairs
• Access management improvements
• Continued natural areas restoration
• Interpretative kiosks and signs.
=============================

We'll have more available in April, after the formal announcement.

Sportster
...cats outa da bag now!

[PumpkinStalker]

Nice!!!!  Thanks for the info!

[AllThingsKC]

WOW!!!  That's going to be awesome!!!  I can't wait to ride it and get some cool views!

[Sportster]

This just in from the shameless self promotion department:
http://nebuzz.blogspot.com/

Sportster
...film at eleven

[dangerboy]

This was approved by the Parks Board today, so it's all official.  May 16th is the start of the first car-free weekend.  Look for the official press release soon.  I'm sure Sportster will have more details too.

[barkerr]

As a local resident and one who on occasion runs and bikes on Cliff Drive, I think this is an excellent idea. I hope it becomes a permanent ordinance, as it will definitely cut down on the graffiti and trash dumping there. Cliff Drive is a beautiful resource, a unique part of Kansas City's history. Good work to all involved in seeing this through!

[PumpkinStalker]

In case you missed it 

I scanned some of my Cliff Drive postcards on my thread...

http://forum.kcrag.com/index.php?topic=13781.20

[dangerboy]

Just got back from a long bike ride down Cliff Drive and Gladstone Boulevard.  The Cliff Drive restoration project is really big.  They are doing a lot of work on re-grading slopes, storm drains and catch basins, and repairing stone walls.  The area just west of the KC Museum is currently under construction. 

But I wonder how much they can finish before May 16.  They haven't even started work on the western third yet.

I'm also amazed how much more trash there is than when I was there last fall.  It's really, really bad.  There is a  I'm afraid the city won't get it cleaned up before they start encouraging people to visit. 

If the neighborhood association has anything planned I would be happy to volunteer a day of my time picking up trash.

[Midtownkid]

Or you could just pick up trash on your own too!  I would help, but I'm not in town...

[Sportster]

They ought to schedule some sort of classic car parade down Cliff Drive so residents can take in the classic cars and sit along the roadway and watch them drive past in a long parade. It would ge a lovely outing. It could be quite a big deal and prizes could be awarded, etc.

That'd be on a CAR FREE weekend, right?  ROFL!!
(sorry) 
I think its a great idea.
There's plenty of car clubs around - Chevy Club had a show in Ex. Springs this afternoon that I saw as I rode by.
KCM could get involved as could various NA's in NE.

Vintage bike clubs too!

Sportster
...its just a good thing!

[Mhudson]

I just stumbled upon this postcard and thought I'd share!  It's title is "Springtime on Cliff Drive".  Also, for anyone interested, http://www.kcweblinks.com/kansas_city_p ... /index.php is a great site to look at old KC postcards.  Enjoy!




Btw, I've never posted an image, so not sure how well this will work!

[phna]

Hooray!

Biking on this for several years was how I learned of this area.

Here is the link to google street view formal entrance from the paseo.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=kansas+ci ... 7665575383

[bry456]

Is the park called Kessler or North Terrace? I get the latter when I'm searching on 'Microsoft Streets & Trips'.

How big is this park? I'm noticing it encompasses the area from Couteau  Trafficway to I-29/35 and everything north, east and west of Gladstone and a small section north of Independence Ave. until the railroad tracks.

[Sportster]

Is the park called Kessler or North Terrace? I get the latter when I'm searching on 'Microsoft Streets & Trips'.

How big is this park? I'm noticing it encompasses the area from Couteau  Trafficway to I-29/35 and everything north, east and west of Gladstone and a small section north of Independence Ave. until the railroad tracks.

Yes! 

The original name for the park was "North Terrace Park". That's because Geroge Kessler, the father of Kansas City's Parks & Boulevards system had developed "West Terrace Park" from a shanty-town, scrub filled hillside to the showplace that became Kersey Coates Drive, the Pallisaides and the two towers on 10th street overlooking the West Bottoms area.

The name was changed to "Kessler Park" in the mid 1990's.
Cliff Drive is in Kessler Park. The boundaries you indicate are the boundaries of Kessler Park and encompass Gladstone Boulevard, Indian Mound, Cliff Drive, The Concourse, the Colonade, the Chestnut Greenway, "Green" Lake, the resirvior, KCM and everything up to essentially Paseo & Independence.

There's an extensive trail system below Cliff Drive, mostly running back from the Scarritt Point area back towards Indian Mound.

Please, come - visit our park!

Sportster
...car-free launches in may! 

[HalcyonKC]

Lots more:
http://www.georgekessler.org/index.php? ... &Itemid=95

[Beermo]

Yes! 

The original name for the park was "North Terrace Park". That's because Geroge Kessler, the father of Kansas City's Parks & Boulevards system had developed "West Terrace Park" from a shanty-town, scrub filled hillside to the showplace that became Kersey Coates Drive, the Pallisaides and the two towers on 10th street overlooking the West Bottoms area.

The name was changed to "Kessler Park" in the mid 1990's.
Cliff Drive is in Kessler Park. The boundaries you indicate are the boundaries of Kessler Park and encompass Gladstone Boulevard, Indian Mound, Cliff Drive, The Concourse, the Colonade, the Chestnut Greenway, "Green" Lake, the resirvior, KCM and everything up to essentially Paseo & Independence.

There's an extensive trail system below Cliff Drive, mostly running back from the Scarritt Point area back towards Indian Mound.

Please, come - visit our park!

Sportster
...car-free launches in may! 

you can't visit it because it's closed. being closed means it's already car-free

[KCRealtor]

Spring on Cliff Drive is looking awesome!  On one of the recent warm days I took my dog for a walk (with a doggy bag of course) and had an incredible time.  Walked nearly 4 miles.....there must have been 150 or more people running, biking, hiking, cliff climbing, etc.  It was great to see so many people enjoying this amazing area.  I highly recommend it to running and biking enthusiasts.  Nature lovers will enjoy it too.

[DaveKCMO]

why not just ban cars entirely?

[barkerr]

why not just ban cars entirely?

I have often wondered this, not least of all because I live in the area. It's not like there aren't other options or routes to take: St. John, Lexington and Independence all run parallel.

[barkerr]

I guess you get what you ask for, at least as far as weekends are conerned:

http://www.northeastnews.net/cliffextended.html