Park commissioners weigh options for Big Bull Creek Park
Big Bull Creek Park in southwest Johnson County could one day feature landscaped play areas, splash parks, outdoor classrooms, zip lines and stocked fish ponds.
Alternatively, the park near Edgerton could be left largely a wilderness area geared toward hikers, campers, rock climbers and picnicking families.
The Johnson County Park and Recreation District board last week balanced these futures as they took their first crack at developing a master plan for the 1,933-acre park.
After years of the park sitting dormant and inaccessible, the park and recreation district finally has the funding to begin developing it through a tax rate increase going into effect next year. A strategic plan developed earlier this year recommended the park being open by 2018.
The commissioners said they wanted a “destination” park that could draw visitors from throughout the region. However, they said they wanted to avoid replicating park facilities available in nearby Edgerton or Gardner or building a mass of sporting fields.
Instead, they said they favored creating a “nature experience” park that took advantage of the undeveloped condition of the land.
“When I think about Bull Creek I go back to being a youngster and my dad taking my brothers and sisters all out there to picnic, play baseball, go play by the water,” said Johnson County Commissioner Steve Klika, who is the county commission’s liaison to the park board. “A simple escape from the reality of city life.”
For example, some park board members asked about allowing horseback riding and canoeing or providing areas for both beginner and advanced campers. They also considered creating prairie and woodland management zones, environmental lab areas or wetland banks, which can help replace wetlands damaged or destroyed by development elsewhere in the county.
They also supported making the park a trail hub connecting to other hiking paths in the area, including the historic Santa Fe Trail.
At the same time, park commissioners also discussed more intensive uses, such as building playgrounds, exercise zones for workers at the Logistics Park Kansas City Intermodal Facility in Edgerton or even adding an amphitheater for large events.
“At 2,000 acres, I’m not sure why it has to be one or the other,” said park Commissioner Steven Baru.
However, other commissioners cautioned against moving too fast with development.
“My fear is at the front end we will overbuild or overprogram or try to put too much at the park when it needs to evolve as the population moves out that way,” said Commissioner Nancy Wallerstein. “Once people get out there they’re going to start telling us what they want.”
Commissioner Leslee Rivarola added that the district didn’t want to over promise what can built on the site in the next few years.
“I think we start these processes and get people really excited with visioning, and then we wait until after everybody has given their ideas to talk about the reality of funding and phasing,” she said.
Consultant Patricia Boddy with Des Moines, Iowa-based RDG Planning & Design recorded the commissioners’ suggestions. She said she would continue gathering input from government officials and other stakeholders and begin drawing up some preliminary ideas for what the park could look like.
Residents will have a chance to weigh in during a public meeting on Nov. 16 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the New Century Fieldhouse, 551 New Century Parkway.
A second public meeting will be held early next year once planners have a more definite design for the park, said Cliff Middleton, the park district’s planning and development manager.
Big Bull Creek Park is one of several parks the district is beginning to develop. Others include the 465-acre Rieke Lake Park west of De Soto, the 900-acre Cedar Niles Park west of Kansas 7 near Lake Olathe and the 83-acre park being planned on the former Meadowbrook Golf & Country Club in Prairie Village.
David Twiddy: dtwiddy913@gmail.com
Residents will have a chance to weigh in about Big Bull Creek Park during a public meeting on Nov. 16 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the New Century Fieldhouse, 551 New Century Parkway.
This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 11:06 AM with the headline "Park commissioners weigh options for Big Bull Creek Park."