Shovels hit the ground Wednesday as city leaders, neighborhood advocates, and residents gathered to mark the start of a long-anticipated transformation of Yvonne Starks Wilson Park. The groundbreaking launches approximately $3.2 million in improvements aimed at restoring the historic park as a vibrant, inclusive hub for recreation and community life in east Kansas City.
Led by Kansas City Parks and Recreation, the project is scheduled for completion ahead of the 2026 World Cup, ensuring the park is ready to welcome residents and visitors alike. Once finished, the upgrades will include expanded parking, new restrooms and picnic shelter, an inclusive playground, basketball courts, a multi-purpose recreational field with lighting and bleachers, more than 2,000 feet of paved trails, new site furnishings, and interpretive signage highlighting the park’s history and namesake.
Third District Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley said the investment reflects both the park’s significance and the city’s responsibility to the surrounding neighborhoods. She noted that Yvonne Starks Wilson Park holds a unique place in the city’s park system as the only park named for an African American woman, adding that the improvements represent a continued commitment to safe, accessible, and welcoming public spaces for families.
Kathryn Persley, president of the Heart of the City Neighborhood Association, emphasized the park’s long role as a gathering place and praised the collaboration between residents and KC Parks. Persley said the project honors the community’s advocacy and ensures the park will serve current and future generations with dignity, accessibility, and opportunity.
The park is named for the late Yvonne Starks Wilson, a trailblazing Missouri state senator and longtime community leader. The park was dedicated in her honor in 2018, recognizing both her legislative legacy and deep roots in the Dunbar-Leeds area. She died in 2019.
Originally opened in June 1922 as Liberty Park, the site carries a powerful history. It was privately funded to provide African American residents a place for recreation at a time when racial segregation barred them from facilities like Swope Park. Early descriptions called it the only amusement park in the nation created specifically for Black residents, featuring boating, sports, picnicking, and live entertainment. The city purchased the park in 1950 and expanded it in 1953 to nearly 18 acres.
In more recent years, KC Parks identified the park as part of its Quality of Life Improvement District, recognizing the need for focused investment in neighborhoods with historically lower life expectancy and fewer recreational resources. The current project builds on that commitment, combining infrastructure improvements with storytelling elements that preserve neighborhood history.
When complete, Yvonne Starks Wilson Park will stand as a renewed symbol of resilience — honoring its past while offering modern spaces for play, wellness, and connection in the heart of east Kansas City.