Overland Park planning board OKs final plat for Roe Park

The Overland Park Planning Commission approved the final development plan for Roe Park this week, calling for an interactive water area, a new playground, restroom and expanded parking among other amenities.

“I think these improvements are long overdue,” said Commissioner Ned Reitzes. “They make Roe Park more user-friendly.”

Construction for the redevelopment will start in August. The swimming pool will remain open this summer, but will be decommissioned in the fall. The tennis courts will be torn down and rebuilt on the current pool site.

Children will still have a chance to get wet, however. More than a dozen underground jets will arch, bubble, mist and shoot skyward in an interactive water play area.

Scott Bingham, principal landscape architect of BBN Architects, said the interactive water play area adds an element of fun and excitement. BBN Architects designed the redevelopment.

“It goes through a sequence and turns itself off until someone else activates it,” Bingham said. “It will function as a plaza during the off season.”

A playground will be erected adjacent to the water play area. A naturalized play area will be developed alongside traditional playground equipment where children can climb, swing and dig among stepping swings, rocks, logs, stumps and sand. A traditional playground will feature wooden climbing structures and swings.

“We will be adding some additional shade trees, particularly around the play areas to increase the amount of shade available,” Bingham said.

Several small shelters will be located in the playground area. A larger shelter with a stone grill will be erected south of the parking lot. A new bathroom building will be installed for year-around use and the parking lot will increase from 140 spaces to 230, said Greg Ruether, director of parks services of Overland Park.

“Really, it’s (the parking lot) going to sit on the same footprint,” Ruether said. “We’re using the space more efficiently.”

Overland Park held two community involvement meetings to gather ideas, most of which were implemented in the redesign. A public restroom was at the top of the wish list, Ruether said.

The Roe Park project is a redevelopment and enhancement, Ruether said. The 20-acre community park was established in the late 1960s. The project encompasses several acres on the northeast corner and cost $2.4 million budgeted through the city’s capital improvement program.

“It’s been the first major redevelopment improvement to this park since that time,” Ruether said.

The project is part of comprehensive master plan for neighborhood and community parks, Ruether said.

The park, open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., currently uses minimal lighting, Ruether said. New plans call for security, low level and decorative lighting.

The city will bid for a general contractor with construction starting in mid to late August.

Ruether said he hopes the redevelopment will be ready by spring of next year. The weather will be a determining factor, he said.

“We hope to have it ready for use in early to mid-2016. By summer — that’s certainly our goal,” Ruether said.

Residents can reserve shelters for a nominal fee, Ruether said. The water play area will be open during park hours, but the exact timeline has yet to be determined. Ruether wants to see the demand.

“It will be very accommodating to what the people want,” Ruether said. “This is the first one for us. It will be a learning experience for us on use and timing.”

Roe Park attracts a variety of ages for use of its soccer and baseball fields, a bike-hike trail and playground, Bingham said. The goal is to retain activities that appeal to a broad range of people. Bingham expects the park will draw more users.

“It’s a positive culmination of the public process,” Bingham said. “We had a lot of great input from a range of users. We’re excited to execute these successful details to make it a treasure in the city.”

This story was originally published March 12, 2015 at 2:32 PM with the headline "Overland Park planning board OKs final plat for Roe Park."