Exploration of Gillham Park

Park Walk #1
Report on the Gillham Walk in the Park

dana-addresses-crowd-380x

All four Roanoke Park area neighborhoods were represented in the walk around Gillham Park on Saturday morning, April 17, 2010. Parks maven and chief honeysuckle bush warrior, Dona Boley led the tour and had plenty of photos to show what the park had looked like at the turns of the last two centuries. At the turn of the 20th Century it was gravel roads with horse drawn carriages moving along still familiar roads. The turn of this century photos showed the once beautiful grounds scarily obscured by unchecked bush honeysuckle.

walktour1-300xYou must see it today! It is beginning to regain its original grandeur with restored walkways and the old stone steps some of which had been buried in the invasive honeysuckle. If you didn’t walk on April 17 or haven’t noticed recently, take a drive down Gillham road to see what a lot of neighbors have accomplished in a short period of time to begin restoring the park as one of the key pods in the Kessler master PLAN of the unique Kansas City parks “system”.

 

Exploration of Roanoke Park

Park Walk #2, May Day 2010

(Plus May 8 with the bushwhackers.)

The growing group of stakeholders in Roanoke Park expanded by 68% from the first walk in Gillham Park. Many more came from all four nearby neighborhoods of Coleman Highlands, Roanoke, Valentine and Volker.

This walk, on May Day 2010, compared the recently renovated Gillham Park to what might be in Roanoke. Dona Boley began the walk with a brief history of the storied Kessler Park System that makes Kansas City unique among American Cities.

Roanoke Park is one of the “pods” in the overall Kessler system. In fact Roanoke Park is one of the best jewels in the system even though somewhat tarnished from lack of a focused upkeep plan over the past 100 years.

20100501_presentation300x

Dona pointed out a favorable wind already blows across Roanoke park:

  • The 1990 Landscape Architectural/Historic Survey of the parks and boulevard system determined that Roanoke Park, Karnes Boulevard, and Valentine Boulevard are 4 stars, the highest rating. They are exceptionally significant.
  • Landscapes in this 4-star category should be treated with the greatest priority, and may even be so designated for extra special attention. Opportunities through planning and management should emphasize preservation and restoration. Necessary changes and additions should be most sympathetically considered.

Dona also provided some great historic photos that will soon be added to roanokeparkkc.org so we have a reference point to see the change in the park over time.

Browse here to see Dona's powerpoint on the history of KC's parks and boulevards system, since edited and expanded to include more Roanoke Park specific information.