After a long search for a new home, the South Platte Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7356 thought they’d found it with the purchase of the historic Park College Power Plant late last year. But, it appears that the post’s future at that site is in question because of the City of Parkville’s plans for reconfiguration of Highway 9.
Founded in September 1986, by 1994 VFW Post 7356 members purchased the Mirror Lake Clubhouse off Highway 45 near Crooked Road. The historic location had been used by politicians in the area and hosted other prominent guests such as Kansas City Mayor H. Roe Bartle, President Harry S. Truman, Senator Stu Symington, Senator Ed Long and several governors, according to the post’s history, which appears on its website. Starting in the mid-90s, the hall was also used for rentals and was opened on Saturday mornings to serve breakfast to members and the public.
The structure served the VFW for decades, until 2007, when the Missouri Department of Transportation announced that its project to widen Hwy. 45 could force demolition of the building. While MoDOT eventually relented that the building could be spared, by 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, the post’s members voted to sell the building and purchase property just west of the old location. Estimates for new construction received during the pandemic proved to be far too low when construction costs more than doubled.
The post shared space with the Parkville American Legion, whose hall is on Main Street in downtown Parkville. In late 2024, the post members voted to purchase the old Park College Power Plant, also on Main Street.
Their first public event was held in April, at about the same time they learned their new home was potentially in the way of development yet again.
The City of Parkville is in the middle of a long-range plan to reconstruct Hwy. 9 to modern standards. According to Parkville Director of Community Development Stephen Lachky, the city is focused on improving vehicular, bicycling and pedestrian connections throughout downtown Parkville from Fourth Street on the north, east along Hwy. 9 to the Park University entrance, west along West Mill Street to Northwest Crooked Road, and south to the railroad tracks.
Post members recently learned that four of the six concept designs presented by the city would impact the building they’d just purchased.
Lachky said the project is currently in the design phase, and the city is seeking public input on those design concepts. A public open house on these concept designs will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, June 9 at city hall.
“Our project consultant team will be presenting results we’ve received over the past couple of months from the public on the various design concepts; and provide a recommendation for which concept to move forward with,” Lachky said. “Following this meeting, staff and the consultant team will present these results and recommendations to our Board of Aldermen for consideration.”
Post Commander Joseph Wolfgeher said that the VFW isn’t the only downtown building in danger, as plans could impact the Southern Platte Fire Protection District Station, Level Builder, Bentley Guitars and the 19th Hole.
“As the Parkville VFW Post, we are against any option which would remove us and tear down The Power Plant, which is now the home of local veterans,” Wolfgeher said.