The heart of the Westwood Park neighborhood is the 9.3-acre park on the edge of its border.
The neighborhood, tucked into the area behind Pembroke Hill School on Ward Parkway, is home to 300 families. They range from retired folks to families with young children and live in a variety of homes, from single-family bungalows to much larger spaces.
However, for homeowners association president Aryn Roth, life centers around the park.
“It’s one of the premier sledding places in Kansas City. As soon as snow starts to fall, you hear yipping” and people are headed to the park, she says.
The park is a hub of activity all year, not just in winter. In addition to other activities, the park attracts dog lovers.
“There’s a group of people who meet after work, walk their dogs, and socialize,” Roth says.
The neighborhood and adjacent West Plaza neighborhood help maintain the park. Recently, they obtained public improvement advisory committee (PIAC) funding from the city to improve lighting and shelters.
The real estate developer J.C. Nichols built Westwood Park as one of the Country Club District neighborhoods. Like the others, it has a homeowners’ association, which is a member of the Homes Association of Kansas City alliance of 53 associations. Roth says the board of directors meets monthly, and the association has an annual meeting and a picnic and barbecue each year.
Recently, the neighborhood association has been involved in efforts to repurpose Swinney School, just outside the neighborhood boundaries. It is one of the schools being sold by the Kansas City School District and a developer hopes to convert it to apartments.
Roth says the biggest challenge for the neighborhood is attracting and keeping families with children. While some neighbors send their children to Catholic schools or the nearby Pembroke Hill private school, the neighborhood also sees families move “a block away” across the Kansas border as their children enter school.
“Schools are the number one problem for everyone in Kansas City,” she adds.
