Ironwoods Park Hub Bub

There is big trouble brewing in laconic Leawood.

Leawood is this extremely well run little affluent city. They have few problems. People are generally satisfied. Amenities and property values are high....crime is low. It have everything except excellent water slides (bad reference to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure)

I've been watching, getting emails, and following this issue regarding a proposed expansion of Ironwoods Park now for a little while.

The plan in a one line summary is expanding a outdoor theater that is currently there into a bigger one. There seems to be disagreement on some of the facts based on who you talk with about the size, the cost, who will pay, how many events, and how much it intrudes on the people living closest etc. Neighbors suggest big like Sandstone and Leawood Park and Rec says just a little bigger with bathrooms, dressing rooms and more parking.

For the issue for me has always been that this park belongs to all the residents of Leawood and not just the people who live directly around it. Generally, what I find is that people who live near parks prefer as much as possible to keep other people out of it so they can enjoy the green space to themselves. So, you can imagine that the reasonable debate is how to manage those two things. So we have a conflict.

I have been in favor of this new theater expansion and have written as such on this blog in the past. I've received nasty emails from Steeplechase people as a result. My impression from them so far is they are kinda assholes who want the park to themselves. One guy complained in an email about a school having a walk-a-thon in the park on a Saturday morning as ruining his day.

I was reviewing this website they put up and it does give me some questions. They suggest it might be a little bigger than I thought. Some of it is bullshit and clear exaggeration but of course I get where they are coming from to a point. Are they just frantic JOCO assholes with conspiracy delusions or is the City of Leawood really trying to pull a fast one on them. Good questions. The current residents already seem to think the events that are going on now out o line and would like them to stop. I've been out there and they seem reasonable to me. The man with the fake glasses and moustache plans to find out.

I need to research this more to understand it. If it is what I originally thought then I am still for it. I love the idea of having a venue like that to take my family to. However, how much bigger does it need to be? If they want to put a Shawnee Mission "Theater in the Park" in Ironwoods then I am not for it. Will there be basically just musicals and David Basse concerts and such or will they also have rock concerts? I'd say no to rock concerts, yes to the others. I'd say good if all shows are free, no if they plan selling tickets, using a management company, etc.

I think we deserve better information on this and details, details, details.

Yo Holmes! Do your Homework about Ironwoods Park

I wanna feel bad for people when they make uninformed decisions. It is hard to feel sorry for them though when it is their own damn fault. Such is Mr. Darren Holmes of Leawood.

I utilize Ironwoods Park on a regular basis. It is a great park. This park was voted on by the citizens of Leawood with a full plan to add an enhanced amphitheater BEFORE Steeplechase had a single house built. This amphitheater will be great and a nice place for people to go to see small outdoor plays, events and concerts. This plan was of public record before Mr Holmes purchased his McMansion in south Leawood. Even looking at the park now it isn't hard to imagine they aren't finished with it. As a prospective home buyer I certainly would have had questions.

If Mr. Holmes bought his home 900 feet from Ironwoods Park and didn't have the brainpower to check to see about the plans for the park then I can't really feel sorry for him. That is a pretty expensive neighborhood. I'd have checked. Let's see.....if you were considering purchasing a home next to a major city park...... Maybe one call to the Leawood City Hall or Planning Department wouldn't have taken too much of your time before you plopped down at least a half a million on a home?????? He said nobody told him.......the plan was there...............and I'm sure the cranky old Lou Rasmussen will happily provide Mr. Holmes and anyone else who wants to claim ignorance the background on the project. Nobody told you? Why didn't he ask? I hate to say this but it again is the whole idea of personal responsibility versus expecting someone else to take care of you.

And then there is the whole neighbors acting badly thing. I found this little facebook group and it seems to really be a thing over in Steeplechase. I thought rich people were smart. I thought they checked things out. Certainly you can have a party at your own home until you start bothering others.......and they complain......and the police show up. 134 people joined. Not bad.

In the Ironwoods case, Mayor Dunn is being nice in looking for ways to help and Councilman Bussing is duty bound to speak up for a constituent. He asked for documentation on the project. He already knows what that documentation will show. And then Mr. Holmes will need to be quiet so the rest of us can enjoy the new amphitheater.

I guess I kinda feel bad because the guy wasn't bright enough to check. Mizzou grad...what else would you expect.