RESOLUTION NO. 230604
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Sponsor: Councilmember Heather Hall
RESOLUTION - Declaring the month of July 2023 to be National Parks and Recreation Month in Kansas City, Missouri, and recognizing the efforts of the KC Parks and Recreation Department in their continuous effort towards developing and maintaining parks, inclusive playgrounds, multi- purpose fields, and public spaces.
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WHEREAS, July is National Parks and Recreation Month, a time of appreciation for the many benefits KC Parks programs have brought to the community for the past 131 years; and
WHEREAS, the KC Parks and Recreation Department makes room for the environment to flourish and for the public to thrive. The parks, trails, fountains, and monuments promote the health and well- being of the community by providing space for a variety of activities and offer citizens a secure place for leisure; and
WHEREAS, the KC Parks and Recreation Department maintains 222 parks, 10,000+ acres of parkland, 194 miles of trails and bikeways, 29 lakes, 48 fountains and 122 monuments; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, KC Parks Ambassadors and volunteer groups contributed more than 9,659 volunteer hours to clean and enhance parks and boulevards throughout the city. These volunteer services saved the Parks and Recreation Department more than $289,000.00; and
WHEREAS, this year, the KC Parks and Recreation Department has continued to improve Kansas City's Parks, including building a number of inclusive playgrounds, a new disc golf course in Swope Park, constructing improvements at Independence Plaza Park, and the opening of the all-inclusive '15 and the Mahomies' Playground in Martin Luther King Jr. Park; and
WHEREAS, the KC Parks and Recreation Department has also opened a number of trails, including the Big Shoal Creek Trails, the Briarcliff Greenway Trail, and the Dave Mecklenberg Trailhead, as well as celebrating the Bicentennial of Missouri at the historic Francois Chouteau and Native American Heritage Fountain; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
That the Mayor and Council hereby declare the month of July 2023 to be "National Parks and Recreation Month" in Kansas City, Missouri; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy be presented to Director Christopher Cotten and the Board of the KC Parks and Recreation Commissioners, with the Mayor and Council encouraging all of Kansas City to get outside and enjoy our wonderful parks.
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