by Mary Rupert
The Kaw Point Park connector trail, opened today in Kansas City, Kan., will open the park to more bicyclists and hikers. Also viewed today was a new Lewis and Clark metal mural at the levee and park area.
Located at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers in Kansas City, Kan., the Kaw Point Park now will be connected to trails allowing people to ride bicycle sand walk from Missouri and around the metropolitan area, according to local officials.
The ribbon-cutting and dedication was held on a sunny day with temperatures in the 50s, at the park overlooking the river scene and Kansas City skyline, with large truck traffic on I-70 nearby in the Fairfax industrial district. The Friends of Kaw Point fired a shot into the air during the ribbon-cutting.
Mayor Mark Holland said the trail is important, connecting the trails here to the other trails in the metropolitan area.
It’s at the front door of Fairfax, he said, where a new industrial building from NorthPoint is located. The new Lewis and Clark metal mural is a sculpture that is on the side of the new NorthPoint building at the Fairfax levee, and is visible from the roadway.
Mayor Holland said he has been working for years to open the levee trails in Kansas City, Kan., and will continue to do so.
He remarked that the Unified Government received some criticism over the $3.5 million that was proposed to be spent on the project, for around four-tenths of a mile. However, he said this connects to dozens of miles of trails for the metropolitan area. It opens up a vision of trails that circle the entire city, he said. UG information placed the final cost at $2.6 million.
The mayor recognized Shari Wilson, who worked to develop the park and trails.
“What a great fortune it is for all of us in District 1 that this gem of a park is located here,” UG Commissioner Gayle Townsend, 1st District, said. The park is in the 1st District. Too many residents have had to travel outside the community to find an attractive place to bike and jog, but that is no longer true, she said. She added that trail users help support the local economy, spending money on equipment, gear, and dining out.
There are hopes to hold 1K walking or running events at Kaw Point Park in the future, according to Mike Calwell of the Friends of Kaw Point. He said they also are currently working on a rain garden on the hillside of Kaw Point Park.
The new Lewis and Clark mural is a steel statue, weighing about 3,000 pounds, to be dedicated at a later time, he said. It will be lighted at night, he said.
Darby Trotter, the nephew of the late Sen. Harry Darby, said this was a dream come true for him.
He talked about how he and his uncle, an industrialist in Kansas City, Kan., used to visit this area, before it was developed into its present state. He has always loved this area and it was delightful for him to be involved in the effort to connect this area to Riverfront Heritage Park, he said.
While this probably was the most expensive trail built anywhere, it is the hub of the trail system, Trotter said. Without it, the trails system would be a wheel without any hub, he said.
Area bicyclists and the Friends of the Kaw turned out for the ribbon-cutting ceremony today.
The connector trail is about four-tenths of a mile and climbs about 34 feet, according to information from the UG. It was the subject of some controversy in recent years as some Unified Government commissioners pointed out the high cost per mile. Unlike other trails, it climbs into the air, under a well-traveled road.
