Serving Kansas City (Wyandotte County) Kansas for over 50 years!
by Mary Rupert
After about five or six years of diligently working for a new fire station for Piper, Commissioner Mike Kane saw his project move forward in a big way on Saturday morning.
Ground was broken for new Piper fire station No. 12 at 2913 Hutton Road, which is near 107th and Leavenworth Road in Kansas City, Kansas.
Kane, the 5th District commissioner, said at the event that he had started bringing up the need for a new Piper fire station when he was first elected about 14 years ago, but that for a long time, he couldn’t get anyone to listen. Piper had a former township fire station that was known as a “pole barn” near 123rd and Leavenworth Road, he said.
He had his own medical episode about a year and a half ago with a need for an ambulance, and that “put the fire under me,” he said.
“This is very important to the community,” Kane, who represents the 5th District, said. The population of the Piper area had grown, without additional facilities. “We needed something like this. It’s very expensive, and without the commissioners’ help, we wouldn’t have done anything.”
The UG commissioned a study that indicated a need for two fire stations in the Piper area. It also indicated a need for many other new or renovated fire stations throughout Kansas City, Kansas.
A couple of years ago, there was some opposition to Kane’s idea to build the Piper fire station first, as some of the administration thought the building of new stations should be approached together in a plan, instead of one at a time.
But, as Kane said today, “We’ve got to start somewhere, and this was the start.” The Piper station is part of the plan, according to officials.
“This is the first one, we’re not done,” Kane said. Kane and other officials also thanked John Kelly of the UG buildings and logistics for his work on the project.
The new 10,834-square-foot fire station will include two drive-through bays and an ambulance bay, gear decontamination facilities, EMS storage, 10 bunk rooms, a kitchen, dining room, living space and day room, as well as a fitness room, according to information from the Unified Government. The cost of the fire station was expected to be in the $4 million to $5 million range. The contractor is Haren Contracting. Archimages is the architectural and design firm.
The new fire station location is just south of Leavenworth Road near 107th. It is fairly close to The Legends Outlets area, which is about 1.9 miles south of the new fire station. To the north, 1.7 miles away, is Piper High School.
Mayor David Alvey today gave a special thanks to Commissioner Kane for continually putting this issue before the commission and saying, “This is something we have to take care of.”
When asked later, Mayor Alvey said that the question might really be “when,” rather than “where” the next fire station will be, considering financial challenges.
Mayor Alvey said while there are plans to construct other new stations or renovate some, the site for the next new fire station has not yet been identified. There are so many fire stations that need work, including a lot of former township fire stations, he added.
He said the Turner area needs to be looked at, because some of those older township fire stations don’t serve the firefighters well. Some old stations may have mold or other conditions that are not ideal, he said. Most likely, they will take the worst ones and work them first, he said. Cost has been a factor in getting some of the work done over the years.
“I don’t understand how we neglected our physical needs over decades,” Mayor Alvey said, “probably 50 years of neglect.”
There also is a continual need to upgrade fire equipment, he added.
Commissioner Melissa Bynum, at-large District 1, pointed out that there is senior housing planned for the area around the new fire station.
She said the UG had studied the area in a systematic way and did not haphazardly choose this new fire station location. The UG studied the need and listened to residents, she said. The UG tried to align its goal for rebuilding critical infrastructure for what the community needs, she said.
Filling the gap in EMS and fire coverage was a critical need, and that’s why they knew this station had to come first, she said.
Also attending the groundbreaking ceremony were Unified Government Commissioners Tom Burroughs, Angela Markley, Gayle Townsend and State Sen. Kevin Braun, along with firefighters and UG officials.
Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Chief Mike Callahan said this will be the first new fire station built in Kansas City, Kansas, in 18 years, and will be the first new station ever for Piper.
“This station will incorporate the most up-to-date cancer prevention technology available for the members who are going to be serving in this station,” Chief Callahan said.
There is a need for more fire stations in Kansas City, Kansas, he said.
“This area needs another fire station,” Chief Callahan said. “There are other areas going to have new fire stations, as well.”
He mentioned that Turner is another area that needs work, in new buildings or renovations.
Many of the older firehouses were started by townships and were staffed by volunteers who typically didn’t live at the fire stations, he said. Those stations were then consolidated into Kansas City, Kansas.
“We’re doing the best we can with what we have,” he said.
The firehouses that are not going to be demolished will be rehabbed, he said, and there is a plan for it. There are plans for new facilities, land acquisition and rehabilitation of existing facilities, he said.
Breakfast with Easter Bunny planned April 13
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny is planned from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, at the Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center, 720 N. 4th St., Kansas City, Kansas. The breakfast menu includes pancakes, sausages, biscuits and gravy, fruit, coffee, juice and milk for $6 for adults and $5 for children under 10 years old. Photos with the Easter Bunny will be available for $5 each. For more information, visit https://www.strawberryhillmuseum.org/event/breakfast-with-the-easter-bunny-2-2/.
Turner Recreation to sponsor pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt
The Turner Recreation Commission will sponsor a pancake breakfast and an Easter egg hunt with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, April 13, at 831 S. 55th St., Kansas City Kansas. Holiday arts and crafts and photos with the Easter Bunny will be free. The pancake breakfast will be $5 for ages 13 and older, $4 for ages 4-12, and children 3 and under free with an adult purchase. The Easter egg hunts will be 9:45 a.m. for ages 0-3, 10 a.m. for ages 4-7, and 10:15 a.m. for ages 8-12.
Rosedale plans large cleanup on Saturday
More than 200 volunteers are expected to participate in the all-Rosedale Cleanup and Cookout from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 13. Volunteers will meet at 8 a.m. in Fisher Park to get supplies and assignments, and then will fan out around the area to work on cleanup projects. They will meet back at Fisher Park, at Fisher and West 39th, for a catered picnic lunch at noon. The volunteers will clean up graffiti, pick up litter and remove brush.
Folk dancing planned
“Programa de Folklorico” is planned from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 13, in the story time room at the South Branch Library, 3104 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The Spanish language program is for children, teens and adults. Lugarda Rodriguez is the presenter.
WyCo Ethnic Festival to be April 13
The WyCo Ethnic Festival will be Saturday, April 13, at the Kansas City Kansas Community College field house, 7250 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Hours of the event are 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Music, dance and educational booths are planned at the festival. The festival promotes better understanding among people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. There is no admission charge to the festival, and it is open to the public. Ethnic foods will be available for purchase. For more information including a schedule, visit www.freewebs.com/wycoethnicfestival.
Groundbreaking for Piper fire station to be April 13
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Piper fire station is scheduled to be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 13, at 2913 Hutton Road, Kansas City, Kansas. The groundbreaking was originally scheduled March 9 but was changed because of the weather. Because of construction on Hutton Road, access to the site is available only from Leavenworth Road.
Family story time planned
Family story time is planned from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 13, at the youth services craft room, Main Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, 625 Minnesota Ave. There will be stories, dancing and singing. The story time is geared to families with readers ages 2 to 6.
Spanish singing lessons planned at library
Spanish singing lessons (Clase de Canto) are planned from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the South Branch Library, Conference Room B, 3104 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The Spanish language program is for all ages. Sandra Zamora is the instructor.
Town hall meeting planned
A town hall meeting sponsored by State Sen. Kevin Braun, R-5th Dist., will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the Leavenworth Library, 417 Spruce St., Leavenworth, Kansas. The guest speaker will be Dr. Joan M. Murnane, DVM, on “Border Security is Biosecurity.” To register, visit https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eg880p4rbc59fb74&oseq=&c=e37b2520-eb23-11e6-b774-842b2b5261ac&ch=e4527250-eb23-11e6-b78e-842b2b5261ac.
Czech Easter traditions and egg decorating at library
All ages may attend a program on Eastern European Easter traditions and see a display of Czech Easter eggs from different regions from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 13, in the Café area at the Main Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, 625 Minnesota Ave. There also will be a hands-on coloring workshop using natural dyes. Participants will be able to take the dyed eggs home. The presenter will be Magda Born.
Easter egg hunt planned
Wyandotte United Methodist Church, 7901 Oakland Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, is planning an Easter egg hunt for toddlers through sixth grade at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 13. Registration will be at 2:30 p.m. The event will be supervised and participants will be divided into three age groups. The event includes a craft and story, and it will be held rain or shine.
Two authors to speak at library program
Two best-selling authors, Kiki Swinson and Tiffany Warren, will speak at a Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library program from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the Reardon Convention Center, 520 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The program will be followed by a book signing. A limited number of free copies of each author’s books will be given away to the first persons to arrive. Doors will open at 1 p.m. Advance registration was required for this program. For more information, visit https://kckpl.librarymarket.com/conversation-tiffany-warren-and-kiki-swinson.
Alcott Arts Center to hold season opening Saturday
The Alcott Arts Center, 180 S. 18th, Kansas City, Kansas, will hold its season opening art exhibit and gallery dedication on Saturday, April 13. The dedication for the Cecil Mashburn Gallery will be held at 5 p.m., with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Mashburn was a student at Louisa May Alcott School in the 1940s who became an artist. In the new Mashburn Gallery on Saturday will be works by Kayla Wortman, a senior at Washington High School. Wortman will display artwork that shows her growth as an artist from an early age, to her current work. Pencil drawings and paintings are among her works on display. In the Harrison Gallery, works by Shane Yazzo’s gifted program in the Kansas City, Kansas, middle schools will be presented. The Alcott Arts Center is not handicapped accessible. For more information, visit www.alcottartscenter.org or call 913-233-2787.