* Kansas City = Conflicted * (Lee's Summit, Overland, Jackson: hotel, employment, public schools)

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by s.davis

Yeah, people often go to parks to enjoy the amenities in a park. Many of the busiest parks in the nation have Zoos, theaters, museums, etc. in them. That's like saying people go to Shawnee Mission Park for Theater in the Park, so it doesn't count.

And lots of people hang out in Swope Park, have picnics there, family reunions, etc. They also play disc golf, golf, go to the dog park, fish at the pond, ride the single track trails, hike, play soccer, swim, etc. That's what parks are for.

Theater in the Park is a very small venue - people sit on the grass. That is a whole lot different than Starlight with Broadway shows and concerts. Of course that is going to bring in a lot of visitors. People do go to Shawnee Mission park for recreational activities. Swope Park not so much.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by luzianne

People do go to Shawnee Mission park for recreational activities. Swope Park not so much.

Yes, they actually do. Why is that so hard for you to understand?

Besides Starlight and the Zoo, the park offers a lot more and "people that actually use" all of the facilities below rave about them.

Disc Golf


Hiking


Golf


Soccer


Mountain biking


Picnic shelters


Dog Park


Festivals (Ethnic Festival is by far one of the best festivals in KC)



Lakeside Nature Center and animal rescue


Swope Memorial and fountain

[MOKAN]

^Though I am not actually much familiar with Swope Park beyond the zoo, the difference between it and Shawnee Mission Park (and Loose Park) seems to be that at the former the park events are mostly organized large groups with few casual scattered users, especially beyond a limited demographic, while the latter parks have much more of the latter. This makes sense considering Swope Park's location. It would be cool if a lot of "normal people" from Lee's Summit, Raytown, and all around would use Swope and give it that element. If that's happening already, I definitely didn't realize it and hadn't heard.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

^Though I am not actually much familiar with Swope Park beyond the zoo, the difference between it and Shawnee Mission Park (and Loose Park) seems to be that at the former the park events are mostly organized large groups with few casual scattered users, especially beyond a limited demographic, while the latter parks have much more of the latter. This makes sense considering Swope Park's location. It would be cool if a lot of "normal people" from Lee's Summit, Raytown, and all around would use Swope and give it that element. If that's happening already, I definitely didn't realize it and hadn't heard.

Exactly what I was going to say. Yes, for big festivals, etc. like in the pictures kcmo showed there might be a lot of users. But on a day to day basis you don't go to Swope Park and see crowds of people there like that. At Shawnee Mission park you do.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by luzianne

Exactly what I was going to say. Yes, for big festivals, etc. like in the pictures kcmo showed there might be a lot of users. But on a day to day basis you don't go to Swope Park and see crowds of people there like that. At Shawnee Mission park you do.

Well, I would agree with that. The park has many specific uses, but no, it does not function as a general recreation park very well.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by luzianne

Exactly what I was going to say. Yes, for big festivals, etc. like in the pictures kcmo showed there might be a lot of users. But on a day to day basis you don't go to Swope Park and see crowds of people there like that. At Shawnee Mission park you do.

Can we agree, then, that Swope Park's off-balance usage doesn't have to do with safety? If we can agree that tons of people go there for tons of events, then they must not be too worried about the safety aspect. If that were the case, people would stop wanting their events to be hosted there.

Perhaps it's something else about the park that keeps it from being popular with casual day to day users. (Although one exception is the dog park, which is definitely a day to day thing.) Is it the layout? The particular amenities offered? A conversation along these lines would be much more constructive, IMO, than a back and forth spat about how safe it is.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by rwiksell

Can we agree, then, that Swope Park's off-balance usage doesn't have to do with safety? If we can agree that tons of people go there for tons of events, then they must not be too worried about the safety aspect. If that were the case, people would stop wanting their events to be hosted there.

Perhaps it's something else about the park that keeps it from being popular with casual day to day users. (Although one exception is the dog park, which is definitely a day to day thing.) Is it the layout? The particular amenities offered? A conversation along these lines would be much more constructive, IMO, than a back and forth spat about how safe it is.

Safety in numbers. The same reason I and others go there for concerts and shows at Starlight, but no way in hell I'd go there if not an organized event going on.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by luzianne

Safety in numbers. The same reason I and others go there for concerts and shows at Starlight, but no way in hell I'd go there if not an organized event going on.

Then how do you know what it's like on a day to day basis?

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by rwiksell

Then how do you know what it's like on a day to day basis?

As I said, I have reason to be by there often. There are definitely not a bunch of people there just for recreation like you see at Shawnee Mission Park other than organized groups like kcmo pointed out before.

[Stumbellina]

Stay AWAY from Olathe, leawood, Overland Park. Seriously toxic, emotionally.
I know a lot of people that grew up in prairie village and/or still live there now and they are happy. Generally more affluent but down-to-earth and humble about it.

Personally, I highly recommend Focusing your search right around "loose park."
This includes:
-Westwood hills
-mission hills
-Brookside
-roeland park
-fairway

Alternatively, you can find some amazing old houses near the Nelson Atkins museum and KCAI art school, and there's one tiny little spot of Old Hyde Park that is stunning.

or look into Lake quivera. A bit Expensive ( but then again you're used to the east ;-) and houses are hard to come by, but it is by far the best kept secret in Kansas City. People there are super friendly and neighborly.