AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION AT THE CITY OF PARKVILLE
Two years ago, the City of Parkville made the call to close English Landing Park to vehicle traffic—mainly for safety reasons, according to Mayor Dean Katerndahl.
“McAfee Street and Busch Drive are heavily used by families walking, kids biking or scootering, and folks enjoying community events, like the symphony. It just didn’t feel right to mix cars with all that foot traffic. Importantly, the current setup meets ADA requirements,” the mayor says in a recent city newsletter.
“Lately though, we’ve heard requests to reopen the park to vehicles—especially from neighbors with disabilities and from those renting shelters. The board of aldermen wrestled with this tough issue, and people had strong feelings on both sides. We asked our Community Land & Recreation Board (CLARB/park board) to weigh in. After listening to community members and discussion, they voted 7-0 to keep the park vehicle-free,” the mayor said.
Then the question came back to the board of aldermen for action.
“When the matter came back to the board of aldermen, we also heard from residents and debated the options. In the end, the board voted 4-3 to agree with CLARB and keep English Landing Park closed to vehicles,” Katerndahl remarked.
“But that’s not the end of the story. Part of the decision includes working to improve access—like adding benches and amenities to help neighbors with disabilities, and building an accessible bridge and path that shortens the walk from the parking lot to the heart of the park. Our newly adopted Parks & Recreation Master Plan also makes construction of an accessible playground in Platte Landing Park a top priority, along with more benches along the river trail,” the mayor explained.
“This is a classic example of the kind of tough choices the board faces regularly. No matter what decision we make, someone will feel disappointed. Allowing vehicles would have made access easier for some, but would have come at a cost to safety and the park’s open feel,” Katerndahl said.
“Keeping vehicles out means some folks will have a harder time accessing certain amenities. At the end of the day, the board works to gather good advice, listen respectfully, and make the best decision for the community as a whole.
“And once a decision is made, the important part is pulling together to make it work for everyone. That’s the spirit we’ll bring to this one, too,” the mayor stated.
