We need our own Loose Park

Meadowbrook Country Club is not the toughest golf course in town, but it is bucolic, and – here’s the best part – it may have the best location of any golf course in Johnson County. The club, between 91st and 95th streets, and Nall and Roe avenues in Prairie Village, is no more than 15 minutes from almost anywhere in “urban Johnson County.”

The worst-kept secret in town is that the club is in financial trouble, along with many other golf clubs in a county that is “over-clubbed.” The surge of high-quality public courses that are inexpensive has undermined the small private golf clubs.

Meadowbrook has been looking for answers to its shrinking membership. A white knight developer, who proposed putting condominiums on part of the golf course site, was the best hope. But that developer just pulled out, due to the challenging economy.

What to do?

One option is to sell the park to Prairie Village, but that is highly unlikely. Prairie Village could not afford the cost of these 130 prime acres.

The second, and best, option is to sell the course to the Johnson County Park and Recreation District and have them turn it into our own Loose Park.

Loose Park, for those of you who never travel to the Missouri side of the state line, sits on 75 acres between 51st and 55th streets along Wornall Road.

It has a beautiful pond, a wonderful jogging trail, and lots of acreage for picnics and hikes. There is a rose garden so spectacular that there are weddings booked solid there spring through fall. The children’s recreation area is as good as any, and is filled with families on all but the coldest days.

A point of trivia: Part of Loose Park used to be a golf course itself, part of the original Kansas City Country Club.

That’s the kind of park that is needed in the northeast part of Johnson County, an area that was developed before the green movement took hold.

Would the county be interested?

The man who runs Johnson County Park and Recreation, Michael Meadors, said the county would be very interested in purchasing Meadowbrook and turning it into a park like Loose Park. In fact, the county has such a purchase in its “2020” visioning plan.

The county does not have the money to buy the club, but Meadors thinks a public referendum would pass.

Why shouldn’t it? The public has supported parks way out, a half hour or more away. Big Bull Creek has 2,000 acres. Kill Creek Park sits on 880 acres. And the public gave a resounding yes to both projects. Surely, they would support the purchase of 130 acres right in the heart of Johnson County.

If Meadowbrook spurns this idea, there is another troubled club, Brookridge Country Club, at about 103rd and Antioch that sits on 137 acres. Its location and topography are not as desirable as Meadowbrook, but it would be a decent backup plan, should Meadowbrook decide to go a different direction.

What a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this would be to bring much needed green space to an urbanized area.

P.S. I am not a member there and would have nothing to gain from such a transaction.

Contact Steve Rose at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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