Page 64 - KCMO Parks Master Plan 2032

RECREATION & OPEN SPACE
RECREA TION & OPEN SP A CE

PARTNER SUMMARY

Partnerships with local community organizations (KCDG) and Urban Trail Co (UTC). KCDG helps
are the hallmark of a strong parks and recreation to maintain 5 disc golf courses across the city at
agency. No agency or department can do it Waterworks, Swope, Hidden Valley, Blue Valley,
all by themselves, nor should they. Creating and Kessler Parks. While UTC works to maintain
partnerships with recreation specialty groups mountain biking and hiking trail systems at 4
allows a department to diversify its program parks: Hidden Valley, Hodge, Kessler, and Swope
offerings while also building deeper relationships Park . Anyone who has mountain biked the trails
with the recreation community. Typically, at Swope Park or played the 18 holes at Water
departments choose to enter into partnerships Works Park knows how popular these two sports
through multiple agreement types: they hire are with adults across KC and the metro.
programmers on contract to run programming
on park property; they work with other YOUTH SPORTS
community organizations to run programming
off park property; they may rent their facilities Traditional youth field sports (soccer, football,
to a programmer and let them run their own baseball) are all very popular in the metro and the
programs on park property; or they may work department relies heavily on outside partners to
with organizations to develop unique facilities on facilitate this programming. This programming is
park property. This section of the report briefly somewhat distributed throughout the geography
summarizes the partnerships this department is of the city, though many more opportunities
actively cultivating. abound in the Northland at the large regional
parks Mark McHenry, Tiffany Hills, and Hodge.
ADULT SPORTS

Based on the information made available by TakeAways
the department, KCMO Parks and Recreation The list on page 59 includes several major
has multiple partnerships with local athletic partnerships that help to augment the
organizations to run adult sports programming recreation and programming opportunities in
on park property. The table on page 59 lists the this department. This list focuses on significant
active recreation partners of the department. partnerships that are defining the KC’s park
There are no fewer than 3 organizations that offer usage. This suggests broad gaps in partnerships
adult kickball and two that offer adult softball. KC that could more equitably serve the population
Crew is an organization that has found a niche of the city. It is good to see that the ball diamonds
running adult sports of all types throughout and fields at Tiffany Hills and Penn Valley Park
locations in the metro. The team was not able to are busy, but not the fields at Cleveland Park or
get a detailed list of all the programs the KC Crew Blue Valley Park or the many other community
facilitates on KCMO property. It is notable that parks in Council Districts 3 and 5. There are
nearly all these adult sports activities take place in not the community organizers ready to help
just two parks: Penn Valley and Gillham. However, activate these parks in the heart of the city. Such
other notable partnerships that were not listed partnerships could help revitalize these indoor
in the material provided by the department spaces.
are those with the Kansas City Disc Golf Club

58 KANSAS CITY PARKS MASTER PLAN