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Young children with a parent can learn about insects during a new special event being planned by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District at the newly-opened Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse.
Bug Hunt is the name of this event, which is for ages three to five with an adult. Participants will scavenge the sidewalks, dig in the dirt, and peer into the pond to find amazing insects. Along the way, young adventurers will create a bug box and explore.
To find this program in the My JCPRD Activities catalog and online listings, browse first under preschool and then under special event. In the catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keyword “preschool.”
This Bug Hunt will take place beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 11, at the Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse, 9101 Nall Ave., Prairie Village. The cost for one 90-minute session is $6 per child for Johnson County residents or $7 per child for nonresidents.
For more information or to register, call (913) 831-3359 or register online at www.jcprd.com.
Printed copies of the My JCPRD Activities catalog are available for pickup at all Johnson County Library branches.
Register by June 7 to participate in the Summer Slam Pickleball Tournament being presented by the 50 Plus Department of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District. This tournament will take place on June 28 at the Lenexa Community Center.
Awards will be presented for men’s, women’s and mixed doubles. This tournament is expected to fill, so register early! All players must be 50 by June 28, 2019. To find this program in the My JCPRD Activities catalog and online listings, browse first under 50 plus and then sports. In the catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keyword “pickleball.”
Pickleball is a cross between tennis, badminton, and table tennis played on a court with two players per side who use a wiffleball and paddles.
The Summer Slam Pickleball Tournament will get under way at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 28, at the Lenexa Community Center, 13420 Oak Street, Lenexa. The fee for one eight-hour tournament is $25 per person, and no tax is charged. Lunch is available for $9. To register by phone, call (913) 831-3359. For more information, call (913) 826-2830. To register online, visit www.jcprd.com.
The My JCPRD Activities catalog, with information and a registration form, is available for pickup at all Johnson County Library branches.
Bring the family to the Johnson County Park and Recreation District’s Ernie Miller Park Amphitheater on Friday evenings during June and July for educational and entertaining programs. The programs last about 45 minutes and are designed for all ages. Programs begin at 7 p.m. A charge of $3 per person paid on-site helps cover the cost of the programs; children two and under are free. Preregistration is not required for these programs.
To find this program in the My JCPRD Activities catalog and online listings, browse first under fun for all, and then under nature & outdoors. In the catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keywords “nature programs.”
June presentations are:
June 7: Stories Under the Stars - Enjoy old-fashioned family fun with stories that will delight the young and the young at heart. Join our park staff as we share stories of animal encounters, mysterious legends, and tales to tickle your funny bone. All ages are welcome to experience in the wonder and magic of storytelling.
June 14: Killer Beaks and Feet - See live raptors and discover their adaptations that make them such excellent hunters.
June 21: Down by the Pond - Enjoy an evening celebrating the unique inhabitants and ecosystem of ponds and meet a live toad.
June 28: Snakes Alive - See Kansas snakes as we explore the facts and fallacies of these legless wonders of the natural world.
Other amphitheater programs planned this summer include: Wildlife Who's Who on July 12, Predators on the Prowl on July 19, and Kansas Symbols on July 26. For more information on amphitheater programs, call (913) 826-2800.
A new name and a new location are planned for an early summer special event which has provided 50 Plus participants with an opportunity to get outside, enjoy local trails, and stay active for 24 years now.
This event is called Step Into Wellness (previously In Step and In Shape), and will take place on Wednesday, June 5, at the new Meadowbrook Park, 9101 Nall Ave., Prairie Village. This year’s event will begin at 9 a.m. In addition to an organized walk with two different options, there will be explore the world of wellness, enjoy demonstrations and activities, visit with representatives from local businesses, and enjoy a catered lunch.
To find this program in the My JCPRD Activities catalog and online listings, browse first under 50 Plus and then under special events. In the catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keywords “special events.”
The cost for this two-and-one-half-hour event is $15 per person for Johnson County residents or $16 per person for nonresidents, and includes lunch. Preregistration is required. For more information or to register, call (913) 831-3359 or register online at www.jcprd.com.
While JCPRD’s 50 Plus programs are primarily for people who are age 50 or older, interested parties who have not yet reached that magic age may still be able to attend. Persons 18 and older who are interested in a 50 Plus class are invited to call the 50 Plus Department at (913) 826-3030 for space availability.
The My JCPRD Activities catalog is available for pickup at all Johnson County Library branches.
A day-long celebration of our community’s trails, parks, and recreational spaces first introduced in 2010 is returning in early June.
On June 1, the Johnson County Park and Recreation District will present A Day In the Park by offering free admission to park beaches, free boat rentals of all rentable watercraft, including pedal boats, canoes, paddleboards, and kayaks at Shawnee Mission Park, and paddleboards, and kayaks at Kill Creek Park, and by waiving JCPRD fishing permits at Shawnee Mission, Kill Creek, and other parks where fishing is allowed.
The June 1 date ties into both the JCPRD’s annual free fishing weekend when both Kansas and district fishing and boating permits are waived, as well as National Trails Day. It should be noted that JCPRD trout permits are still required on this day for those fishing for trout.
Marina hours on June 1 are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Park and Noon to 6 p.m. at Kill Creek Park, where the marina operates out of the beach. Because of the volume of visitors on this day, free rentals are limited to 30 minutes per boat. The last rental for both locations is one hour before close. Beach hours are noon to 6 p.m. at both parks.
A JCPRD booth adjacent to the marina parking lot at Shelter #3 will be the source of information about activities at Shawnee Mission Park throughout the day, and will also be selling low-cost concessions. The Johnson County Sailing Society will be giving free sailboat rides and demonstrations from noon to 1 p.m. on Shawnee Mission Park Lake.
Shawnee Mission Park is located at 7900 Renner Road, Shawnee and Lenexa. Kill Creek Park is located at 11670 Homestead Lane, Olathe.
A June 1 grand opening has been set for the much-anticipated Meadowbrook Park and Clubhouse, located at 9101 Nall Ave., Prairie Village.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will involve a ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m., and comments from public officials, tours of the property and clubhouse, art activities, yoga and personal trainer demonstrations, snacks, giveaways, music, information about and opportunities to sign up for JCPRD programs, and more. Watch for additional details.
Once the clubhouse parking lot clubhouse fills, overflow parking will be at Christ Church Anglican at 5500 W. 91st St., and at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, 9300 Nall Ave., both of which are across Nall Ave. to the west and are within easy walking distance.
Meadowbook Park consists of about 80 acres, located primarily on the northern portion of the site of the former Meadowbrook Country Club. The park will include: a destination playground called the Treeline Adventure; a large shelter called the Grand Pavilion, which will accommodate approximately 160 people; three additional picnic shelters; eight pickleball courts; a separate play and picnic area called The Groves, located in a grove of Oak trees; Meadowbrook Hill, which utilizes surplus soil from enlarging the park’s lakes to create a high area which will be perfect for snow sledding and other exercise pursuits throughout the year; three miles of paved trails; and an area containing low-impact outdoor fitness equipment.
A major entryway to the new park will be past the 10,000 square-foot Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse, located near the park’s northwest corner near 91st Street. The building includes an event space for about 200 people, a multipurpose room, and a Natureplay Preschool with an outdoor playground. Other building features include a small lobby, administration area, catering kitchen, and a deck overlooking the park area.
In addition to providing green space in the densely-populated northeastern section of the county, the new park will also present many new programming opportunities. The current May through August issue of the My JCPRD Activities catalog includes 55 programs at Meadowbrook between June 3 and Aug. 31, including 26 programs and five special events in June.
The first of two overnight fishing opportunities planned at Heritage Park Lake during 2019 will take place on June 1. Other June overnight Johnson County Park and Recreation District fishing opportunities are planned for June 8 at Kill Creek Park and June 22 at Shawnee Mission Park.
After 11 p.m. on these dates, the specific park will be open strictly for fishing only and park police officers will be on duty throughout the night. To find this program in the My JCPRD Activities catalogand online listings, browse first under fun for all and then under nature & outdoors. In the catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keyword “fishing.”
Fishing will be allowed from the bank or from watercraft. Park safety officials noted state law requires a white light be on at all times on boats on the water after sunset. Before fishing in district waters, Kansas residents ages 16 to 74 and nonresidents 16 and older need to have a Kansas state fishing license, and all appropriate boat tags, if applicable. Additionally, Johnson County residents ages 16 to 64 and non-county residents age 16 and older must have a JCPRD fishing permit. Permits are available at the JCPRD Registration Office, Building D, 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam; Visitors Services in the JCPRD Administration Offices in Shawnee Mission Park, 7900 Renner Road; and at numerous local retail outlets.
This year’s other Overnight Fishing Saturdays this year will include July 13 at Heritage Park, July 20 and Aug. 17 at Shawnee Mission Park, Aug. 10 at Kill Creek Park, and July 6 and Sept. 14 at Lexington Lake Park.
Heritage Park is located at 16050 Pflumm Road, Olathe, Kill Creek Park is located at 11670 Homestead Lane, Olathe, and Shawnee Mission Park is located at 7900 Renner Road, Shawnee, and Lexington Lake Park is located at 8850 Sunflower Road, north of Kansas 10 Highway near the Lexington Avenue exit in De Soto.
For more information about the overnight fishing program, call Visitor Services at (913) 888-4713.
Preschoolers and youth can spend part of this summer learning to swim or improving the swimming skills they already have through swim lessons being offered by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District at the Roeland Park Aquatic Center, 4850 Rosewood Dr., Roeland Park, and at the Prairie Village Pool at 7710 Delmar, Prairie Village.
These lessons offer a progression of instructional courses which can take a swimmer from basic level skills to pre-swim team skills. This convenient class format also takes the guesswork out of trying to determine what level you or your child should be in. These progressive lessons involve an assessment at the beginning of each daily class and let individuals move through the program at their own pace, learning new skills during the same session.
Swim lessons for preschool and youth all involve eight 30-minute lessons for $60 for Johnson County residents or $66 for nonresidents.
Preschool offerings include a Parent & Tot class for ages six months to two and one-half years with a parent, and an Aqua Tot Class for ages two and one-half to five. Youth classes for ages five and older are generally skill-based and are not age specific. Levels include Novice, Advance Novice, and Intermediate. All of these programs have classes beginning June 3, 8, and 17.
To find these programs in the My JCPRD Activities catalog and online at jcprd.com, browse first under preschool or youth and then under aquatics. In the catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keywords “swim lesson.” For more information or to register by phone, call (913) 831-3359.
Printed copies of the My JCPRD Activities catalog are available for pickup at all Johnson County Library branches.
Hand and Foot and Mexican Train Dominoes are the next two games players can learn through the next two programs in a series being offered for the first time by the 50 Plus Department of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.
This program is called Learn to Play. It is basically a beginner’s guide to what’s sure to be participants' new favorite games.
June sessions will include Hand and Foot on Tuesday, June 4, and Mexican Train Dominoes on Monday, June 17, which both begin at 10 a.m. at the Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse, 9101 Nall Ave., Prairie Village.
To find these programs in the My JCPRD Activities catalog and online listings, browse first under 50 plus and then under enrichment & special interests. In the printed catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keyword “games.”
Each Learn to Play session will last two hours. The cost is $5 per person for Johnson County residents or $6 per person for nonresidents. For more information or to register, call (913) 831-3359. To register online at www.jcprd.com, click on the course titles listed above.
While JCPRD’s 50 Plus programs are primarily for people who are age 50 or older, interested parties who have not yet reached that magic age may still be able to attend. Persons 18 and older who are interested in a 50 Plus class are invited to call the 50 Plus Department at (913) 826-3030 for space availability.
The My JCPRD Activities catalog is available for pickup at all Johnson County Library branches.
Tracing the growth of the “The Wizard of Oz” phenomenon, exploring its global appeal, and illustrating its influence on popular culture are aims of a new temporary exhibit opening June 1 at the Johnson County Museum.
Expanding Oz is the name of this new exhibit, which ties into the 80th anniversary of the beloved 1939 MGM movie, the 100th anniversary of L. Frank Baum’s death, and the Theatre in the Park’s production of the play as part of its 50th summer season. Hundreds of objects and images, most from the vaults of a local private collector, will be featured. Officials anticipate about 30,000 people will visit this family-friendly exhibit during its five-month run that ends Nov. 2.
“What started with one juvenile book has become a major book series, several major motion pictures, stage productions and Broadway Musicals, cartoon, and television series,” said Museum Director Mindi Love. “It is worldwide, it is multi-lingual, it is multi-media, and it is not just of interest to children.”
Several programs which tie into the temporary exhibit are being planned, including a Wizard of Oz Tea Party and Fashion Show on July 19 and 20.
Exhibit admission is included with regular museum admission rates of $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $3 for children. The museum, which is located inside the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and is not open on Sunday.
For more information about the museum or the Expanding Oz exhibit, go to jcprd.com/762/About-The-Museum.
Explore more than 40,000 historical photographs documenting the people, places and organizations of Johnson County, Kansas from the 19th century to the present!
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