The future of a park in southern Platte County is up for discussion in the City of Kansas City.
Frank Vaydik Park, located off Waukomis Drive, is an approximately 176-acre park and home to the Line Creek Community Center and the KC Northern Miniature Railroad. A master planning process for this park is under way with a public meeting scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Line Creek Elementary School.
The design team will be on hand to answer any questions, provide information, and receive community input. Suggestions so far made include: an additional ice rink, pickle ball, dog park, bigger playground, more trail parking and additional shelters.
The history of Frank Vaydik Park, formerly Line Creek Park, stretches back into the mists of time.
In 1932 local archaeologist J. Mett Shippee began to do archaeological digs in the Line Creek Valley, recording and collecting his findings. Some digs had occurred in the area as early as the mid-1870s, but they were not continued in an organized fashion until Shippee began his studies. While several Native American tribes are believed to have been in the area over a period of several thousand years, the Hopewell tribe became the one most closely associated with the Line Creek area.
The Line Creek property was acquired by Kansas City’s Pollution Control Department in 1963 to serve the Line Creek watershed. In late 1964 the site was saved from destruction from proposed construction of a large sewer main and sewage lagoon due to the efforts of several people including Anita Gorman, later to be on the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, and Anna Mae Hodge whose husband was on the board at that time.
They were told of the historic significance of the site and they notified Frank Vaydik, who was the director of the Kansas City Parks Department, and moves were made by the Parks Department for purchase of the property.
The property was accepted as land for development as a park by the Park Department in 1965. Property was acquired in 1965 and 1966 and dedicated in 1967. It was the first Kansas City park located in Platte County.
Plans for the park included active recreational areas, a natural area for picnic facilities and nature trails. An important component of the plan for the park was an archaeological preserve which would be fenced and access controlled.
The archaeological site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 with the dates 499 BC until 1500 AD. Another significant Hopewell site is located in the Riverside area and there is evidence of other small sites in the area, but the Line Creek site was considered the least disturbed.
Three small and striking looking buildings were built in 1974 to temporarily house and display the artifacts.
They were of a creative geodesic design where artifacts were displayed, a diorama of a Hopewell village in the year 1 AD created, and a hut replica built.
Educational programs were offered through the museum beginning in 1974. The museum closed in 1999 and the buildings were torn down. Programming featuring the artifacts continued until 2003. The artifacts are now in storage.
Additional property was added to the park in 1979. In 1985 a miniature railroad was installed and is still running today.
Other improvements made to the park over the years were the construction of a community center with an ice rink, ball diamonds, a football field and a soccer field.
Line Creek Park was renamed as Frank Vaydik Park in 1980 to honor the service of Vaydik as superintendent and director of the Kansas City parks, recreation and boulevard system from 1964 until his retirement in 1980.