Technical/Social Tours
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2009
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
TECHNICAL TOUR: Lake Lenexa - Dam and Spillway in Lenexa, Kansas
Completed in September 2007 at a cost of over $11 million, the Lake Lenexa Dam and Spillway was nominated by the U.S. Society on Dams (USSD) for its 2008 Award of Excellence. A number of innovations were incorporated into the construction of the new facility that lies within 240 acres of natural parkland. “The [Lake Lenexa] facility was designed to harmonize with nature - both functionally and aesthetically.” The City of Lenexa opted to take a different approach to stormwater management, treating it as an asset on which to capitalize rather than as a problem to be dealt with. This new perspective proved successful because it allowed for improved flood control, improved water quality, preservation of natural streams, and opportunities for recreation and education.
Fee: $25, includes transportation and tour.
1:00 - 3:00 pm
TECHNICAL TOUR: Brush Creek Corridor - A Cultural Development in Kansas City
Kansas City’s Brush Creek Corridor has come a long way since its 1977 flood that left 25 dead and over $100 million in property damage.
Since then, more than $1.3 billion has been invested in the corridor, and the resulting development has helped to connect the east and west areas of the city. Among the major business developments that have occurred along the corridor are the $180 million Stowers Institute for Medical Research that has provided a substantial boost to the community’s life science efforts. In addition, there are a number of residential areas, libraries, museums, churches, clubs, and restaurants here that have contributed to the Brush Creek Corridor’s development.
Fee: $25, includes transportation and tour.
3:30 - 5:30 pm
TECHNICAL TOUR: L-385 Levee on the Missouri River
The L-385 Levee in Platte County, MO, is the first new levee in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kansas City District in more than 30 years. Interest in constructing the levee heightened in the aftermath of major flooding that hit the Midwest in 1993. Some 1,300 acres of developed and undeveloped land were flooded, closing nearly 70 businesses, putting more than 5,000 people out of work for months. Construction on the new levee was completed in May 2005. Since then, there has been one high water event and the levee performed as intended, protecting homes and business development from floodwaters. The tour will show that levees are hardworking structures involving complex engineered systems such as gatewells, I-walls, pump stations, rolling gates, stoplog gaps, and relief wells.
Fee: $25, includes transportation and tour.
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2009, 10:00 am - 5:30 pm
SOCIAL TOUR: EXPLORE KANSAS CITY
All-day transportation will be available on a continuous loop basis to take you to and from each of the following locations and the Congress Hotel.
Transportation Fee: $20 per person. The cost of admission to each attraction is not included, so that you may choose which sites to visit. (All admission fees shown are approximate.)
National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial
Open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, $10 admission
The National World War I Museum is an extraordinary emotional and educational experience, which shares the history of a war whose impact still echoes today. With one of the greatest collections of World War I artifacts anywhere in the world, this new state-of-the-art complex uses highly interactive technology to bring history to life.
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, free or $6 for feature exhibit
From ceramic objects found in ancient Chinese tombs to whimsical sculptures of badminton birdies, the Nelson-Atkins collection spans over 5,000 years of humanity in a glorious environment that brings different connections and unique experiences as compelling as a single “blockbuster” event. Whether you are exploring the collection for the first or the hundredth time, you’ll find something new here!
College Basketball Experience
Open 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, $10 admission
Further cementing the area’s reputation as a hoops’ hotbed, Kansas City is now home to the state-of-the-art College Basketball Experience (CBE). Connected to the new Sprint Center arena via a common lobby, the 41,500-square-foot entertainment facility contains hands-on, interactive basketball exhibits and houses the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Arabia Steamboat Museum
Open 12:00 - 5:00 pm, $12.50 admission
The Steamboat Arabia was a side wheeler steamboat that hit a snag in the Missouri River and sank near what today is Parkville, Missouri, on September 5, 1856. After 132 years lying hidden from the outside world, the Arabia was rediscovered. Thousands of artifacts from the steamboat and its cargo are now on display in the museum.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2009, 3:30 - 5:00 pm
SOCIAL TOUR: Rain Garden BBQ
Come be a part of the final stages of a rain garden construction in Meadowlake Park in Prairie Village, Kansas. Experts will be on site to provide information and details on the design and construction of this system. Participants will be able to participate in spreading mulch and placing plants if they want. A barbeque meal will be available after construction for participants to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Participation is limited to 50 people.