Loose Park 5.13

Loose Park is the third largest park in Kansas City. It is located at 51st Street and Wornall Road. The park is home to a lake, a shelter house, Civil War markers, tennis courts, a water park, picnic areas and a Rose Garden. The Rose Garden is popular for all types of outdoor special events including theatrical performances and wedding ceremonies.The park was once a pasture belonging to Kansas City pioneer Seth Ward. During the Battle of Westport in American Civil War Confederate General Sterling Price is said to have to commanded his forces from gun emplacements on the south end of the park.In 1897 Ward leased the land to the Kansas City Country Club for its first golf course. In 1907 J.C. Nichols bought land around the course to form the Country Club District and Country Club Plaza. In 1925 when the golf club moved to Mission Hills, Kansas the land became a city park.In 1977 artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the Walk Ways with 12,500 m2 of orange-yellow coloured shiny nylon fabric.In 1979 Neal Patterson, Cliff Illig and Paul Gorup founded the Cerner Corporation while on a picnic in the park.Garden CenterThe Loose Park Garden Center was built in 1957 for meetings and horticultural exhibitions of various kinds. It is located in Loose Park at 5200 Pennsylvania Avenue. The garden center has two large meeting rooms with small kitchens attached to the meeting rooms.