The Johnson County Park and Recreation District is making plans to develop two new parks, and upgrade an existing park, in western Johnson County, Kansas (just west of the Kansas City metro area):
Campsites, athletic fields, a disc golf course, dog park and dozens of miles of trails are all in future plans for three Johnson County parks.
Plans for the 57-acre Sunflower Nature Park in Eudora call for a new park entrance, shelter and restroom, along with a boardwalk and a paved trail.
Proposed improvements at a 900-acre Olathe park, now known as the Cedar Niles site, include a dog park, more than 20 miles of trails, four sports practice fields, a sand volleyball court, an Olympic-sized archery range, 16 acres of natural prairie, gardens and an observation tower.
The dog park would consist of 25 acres of fenced-in space for dogs to run leash-free. The trails would be a mix of gravel trails, paved trails and mountain bike trails, and would provide access to Kansas Wildlife and Park’s Prairie Center Park.
The 465-acre site just west of De Soto is known as the Rieke Lake site. Plans for developing the area call for an amphitheater, primitive campsites, a fishing dock, boat launch, a boardwalk, almost five miles of trails, four sports fields, a disc golf course, a 5k boys cross country course and a 4k girls course.
Johnson County already has the state’s most extensive park and trail system, which includes the popular Indian Creek Trail and Mill Creek Streamway multi-use paths, as well as trails at Heritage Park, Kill Creek Park, and Shawnee Mission Park.
Learn more from the Kansas City Star or from Johnson County Park and Recreation.
