Hoxie Collective led a consultant team to develop this strategic improvement plan for the three hundred acres of Kessler Park and its many unique recreational areas in Kansas City, Missouri.  This work included a Connectivity Plan to improve access, safety, and programming between neighborhoods and amenities with the park.  It also included a Conservation Plan to build on an understanding of the landscape and natural processes to improve the health and resilience of the park’s natural resources.

  

Project work included field studies, data collection, Parks Department interviews, and community conversations.  Conceptual designs were developed for each area of the park, with a comprehensive connectivity and environmental strategy.  Cost estimates were developed, with an operations and maintenance strategy to support Parks and Recreation Department staff in implementation of the vision.  A multi-layered community engagement process included more than seven hundred touchpoints across sixty events, surveys, and meetings.

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During the final phase of the planning process several members of the project advisory committee opted to begin a volunteer implementation work group to assist the Parks Department in moving the plan for their beloved Kessler Park forward with early wins, bolstered partnerships, and fundraising efforts.