The Johnson County Park and Recreation District envisions hundreds of acres of new parkland in De Soto, potentially featuring forested trails, disc golf, wildlife observations and more.
But first, officials must exchange the 58-acre footprint of Sunflower Nature Park for 210 acres just southwest of the park. The land swap would ultimately connect with another 152 acres of park land, bringing the total size of the new park to 362 acres.
JCPRD and the city of De Soto held an open house Jan. 14 for the community to learn more about the land exchange, ask questions and provide feedback. Residents unable to attend can still learn more about the potential project and provide feedback here.
“So, why now? That’s a great question,” JCPRD Executive Director Jeff Stewart said. “The reason is some of the things that have been happening in our region and in our community in Johnson County. We continue to grow from a population standpoint, but we’re also filling in.
“With projects and plans like this, with development happening like Panasonic and other things that are coming, we need to stay ahead of that,” Stewart added. “These park spaces are really important buffers to some of that development.”
In 1974, JCPRD acquired Sunflower Nature Park, which features a paved one-mile loop trail, small pond, picnic shelter, two parking lots, restroom and two ball fields adjacent to the nature area. The park sits just west of the Panasonic plant on former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant land.
As the area develops, the city would like to expand Edgerton Road — right through Sunflower Nature Park. City Administrator Mike Brungardt said he hopes to relocate the two ball fields at Sunflower Nature Park to the Riverfest Park.
“Edgerton Road needs to go through for the next phase of development at Astra [Enterprise Park] and we need to construct a water line along that road,” Brungardt said. “So there’s an urgency to that. That would mean the ball fields would have to be relocated.”
The bigger picture: 2,000 acres of parkland
The new 210 acres would connect with Kill Creek Park — and eventually 2,000 additional acres of former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant land over the next few years as it’s remediated — and offer several potential amenities, including:
- paved and natural trail forest experiences,
- integrated disc golf,
- wildlife observation,
- historical interpretation opportunities,
- art experiences,
- and ecological restoration to enhance and preserve the site.
“I like the focus of trying to preserve as much of the natural stands of trees as possible,” said Brian Fairchild of De Soto at the open house last week. “It’s the right thing to do from an environmental perspective, but also it’s going to preserve it as an amenity, as that trail borders these natural stands of woods.”
Another De Soto resident, Laura Price, agreed.
“I’m hoping that they provide more opportunities for kids to interact with nature in a safe way, or a way that parents feel safe,” Price said.
After gauging how the community reacts to the exchange, JCPRD plans to present the information to the park board. If the project receives enough community support, then the park board will consider taking steps toward making the land exchange, which include asking for support from the Johnson County Board of Commissioners. After that, the state will review the plan for land exchange, and then the federal government will make the final call.
Federal review is required because Sunflower Nature Park was gifted to JCPRD by the federal government in 1974.
“Generally, so far, the feedback has been positive,” said JCPRD Superintendent of Parks and Golf Courses Brian Nowotny. “The exchange of 58 acres for 210 acres is resonating. People see that it’s an opportunity to grow the park and protect more parkland.
“Definitely the theme of what we may want to do with the land, if we do move forward with the exchange, would be to keep it natural.”
