Joe D. Dennis Park, the city of Westwood’s largest park, will soon get a makeover thanks to a $3 million grant from Variety KC’s Ten Parks Project. The grant is part of a $30 million initiative to fund 10 fully accessible parks in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Community Impact
The city of Westwood is grateful for the opportunity to provide a modern, expanded, and fully accessible park for its residents. Mayor David Waters said, ‘Parks and green spaces that can serve all build and strengthen communities, and this incredibly meaningful gift from Variety KC and the Mallouk Foundation is a wonderful recognition of the City’s efforts to meet these needs for our community.’
The Ten Parks Project is offered through Variety KC, a nonprofit that provides advocacy and access to resources for children with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. The initiative aims to fund 10 all-abilities, fully accessible parks in the Kansas City metro area, with roughly $3 million grants per park.
Joe D. Dennis Park is the second park announced as a recipient, following the Roy Blunt Luminary Park in Kansas City, Missouri. Marc Harrell, CEO and chief inclusion officer of Variety KC, said, ‘Joe D. Dennis Park is exactly the type of neighborhood park we envisioned when we launched this project.’
The city of Westwood will use the grant to upgrade its largest park, which has been at the center of controversy and lawsuits in recent years. The city had previously approved a developer’s plan to turn the park into an office-retail project, but residents organized a grassroots movement and ultimately sued the city to prevent the sale from taking place without a public vote first.
With the grant, the city will now be able to provide a welcoming space for families in Westwood and beyond. City Administrator Katherine Carttar said, ‘The generous investment of the Mallouks and partnership with Variety KC send a clear message that parks and public spaces belong to everyone.’
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
