North Kansas City transforms unused lot into new park with playground, waterfall
What was once a largely untouched green space and forested area full of invasive species has been transformed into North Kansas City’s newest park, a mission more than 50 years in the making.
On Monday afternoon, bumblebees and butterflies fluttered from flower to flower, while deer and raccoon tracks were printed into the dirt trails, still wet from this weekend’s rain.
In the center of blooming wildflower beds full of purple, pink and yellow blossoms, playground equipment designed to look like a wooden fort stood tall.
And hidden in the midst of it all, a small waterfall trickled into a little creek.
Construction crews in bright orange shirts and hard hats cleaned up mud caused by recent storms, planted new trees and worked to put some of the final touches on River Forest Park at 2400 Vernon St. The park’s long-awaited grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony is on Thursday at 4 p.m.
“What we were hoping to accomplish was for it to transform you into an outdoor experience right in your own backyard,” Deputy City Administrator Kim Nakahodo told The Star. “I would be lying if I didn’t say it was fulfilling.”
Five decades of work
For years, the park was a grassy lot connected to a forested area and surrounded by a steep hill. It had long been the source of erosion concerns for nearby homeowners.
For a majority of the 53 years the city has owned the 7.5-acre parcel of land, which was purchased in 1973, many people in North Kansas City were unaware the green space and wooded area were even open to the public, according to Michael Wells, a member of the North Kansas City Council.
“So, the park sat unused,” said Wells, a senior librarian for the Kansas City Public Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections. He wrote an article last month analyzing the lengthy history of River Forest Park for What’s Your KCQ, a collaboration between The Star and the Kansas City Public Library.
“Each year, native trees and plants were crowded out by invasive species. Camping and litter became growing concerns. And, as before, backyards along the park’s northern edge continued to erode.”
Past residents and City Council members had launched efforts over the past five decades to develop the space into a park, however, nothing seemed to materialize, according to Wells.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit six years ago, city officials knew it was time to act.
Community members had begun raising concerns about the lack of a public space and playground in the neighborhood, especially at a time when they were being encouraged to seek outdoor activities due to lockdown protocols, Nakahodo said.
“What we started to hear was, ‘It’s time. We want a public space, a playground near us, something that we don’t have to get in a vehicle and drive somewhere,’” she said.
Around this time, Nakahodo connected with Amie Clarke, a resident of the River Forest area and candidate for City Council. Together, they helped spearhead the project.
The first step was to discover what could be built in the area because a portion of the land is part of the city’s levee system used to prevent flooding. Then, they sought input from neighbors and families in the area, who had a plethora of ideas, Nakahodo said.
Native plants, erosion control, a picnic area, restrooms, an overlook and natural-looking playground equipment all rose to the top.
‘It feels wonderful’
Now, five years later, the around $4 million park is nearly ready for visitors.
Invasive trees and plants have been torn out and replaced with native trees and wildflowers.
Native plants and grasses were planted along the hillside, which separates neighbors’ back yards from the park, to prevent erosion by increasing water absorption along the slope, rather than runoff.
A covered picnic pavilion was constructed near the playground with tables and restrooms.
Trails, both paved and dirt, weave throughout the park, leading deeper into the wooded area and past the small waterfall.
And natural-looking play equipment was installed, featuring swings, slides, climbing structures, benches, accessible rubber flooring and a short zip line — one of the most requested features by children.
“One of the things we wanted to do is provide a completely different park experience. Macken Park is amazing, and Dagg Park is, too,” Nakahodo said. “This kind of complements those in a totally different experience.”
For Synthia Larson, who represents the neighborhood on the City Council and serves on the North Kansas City Parks and Recreation Foundation board, the opening of River Forest Park is a moment of celebration, not only for her own family, but for the entire community.
“Parks have always been one of my driving forces, and so to have my neighborhood and my constituents have this park in their neighborhood, it feels wonderful” she said.
