Page 10 - KCMO Parks Master Plan_240423_Report and Appendix

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

& FINDINGS

The consultant team spent 14 months executing
the scope of work associated with this master
planning effort. This period involved building a
current profile of the community, engaging with
the public, conducting a thorough inventory of
the department’s assets, assessing the needs
of the park system, and devising strategies for
implementation. Below is a summary of these
findings:

Community Profile

The consultant team reviewed over 20 years
of previous municipal and regional planning
documents relevant to the topic of parks
and recreation. Included in this effort was
tracking the progress associated with 6 other
ongoing planning studies or design projects
impacting park properties. The compilation of
a demographic profile of Kansas City and its
surrounding Mid-America Regional Council
(MARC) region was followed by an extrapolation
of a recreation market profile. Key findings are as
follows:

• Notable trends in park and recreation
planning include sustainability, economic
development, public health, and equity.
• The KCMO population is consistently
younger than the region, state, and nation.
• While KCMO’s average annual incomes
are lower than the regional average, they
align with Missouri’s statewide average.
• Residents of KCMO generally allocate a
smaller portion of their household budget
to recreation compared to the national
average.
• Regarding participation, Kansas City
residents match the national index in
most activities.

4 KANSAS CITY PARKS MASTER PLAN