A long anticipated project in Parkville came one step closer to reality recently.
On Wednesday, Dec. 11, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Parkville bottoms for a wetland restoration project that will help protect Platte Landing Park from floods.
The Kansas City district Army Corps of Engineers and the city will partner together on the project, the city covering 25 percent of the cost and the government handling 75 percent of the project, which is about $1.9 million. The city passing a ½ cent sale tax helped garner the funds for the project.
“This project means so much for the community,” said Col. Bill Hannan, who runs the ACE Kansas City office. “This is a small community to have a such a regional draw for bird watchers, animal lovers and everyone can come here.”
The wetland project was part of the city’s master plan back in 2016 and Hannan commended the work of mayor Nan Johnston, city administrator Joe Parente and public works director Alysen Abel.
The project means even more for Hannan, who was transferred to Kansas City in July and moved to Parkville.
“I have been deployed all over the world; Afghanistan and Iraq,” he said. “What we are doing we get to serve America right here in America and benefit a community in Parkville and folks up and down the river. It is a great ecosystem restoration. Restore plants and build a wetland that will look natural. You’ll see a converted area that will be a nice habitat.”
The 2019 flood put a hamper in the plans and sent those involved back to the drawing board. Now, the plan is in place and BKM Construction from Leavenworth, Kan., was chosen to design the project.
This will help protect not only English Landing Park but will also help restore the wetlands on 40 acres in a 109-acre tract just off the Missouri River. There will be multiple walking paths as well.
Hannan said during a press conference the project could be done within six to nine months and it is possible that BKM could start moving dirt this month. However, the end date is tentative based on weather issues that might pop up this winter and spring.
Hannan, who had stints at Fort Leonard Wood (Mo.) and Fort Leavenworth (Kan.) noted the wetland will be resilient to floods in the future.
John Grouthaus of the ACE noted the planning for this started 10 years ago and funding got started three years ago. The corps has done projects in 2007 and 2011 in Parkville.
“When the whole community comes together and the corps and the county all work together it is not hard (to do), it just takes some time,” he said. “There is a lot of coordination and it takes a little bit of time but when we work together like this it is more easily done and rewarding.”