Keep Penn Valley Dog Park open this fall: End the MONTH-long October closure
The Issue
Every day, hundreds of dogs and their owners come to the Penn Valley Off-Leash Dog Park. For many of us living in Midtown and Downtown apartments and condos, it's the only place our dogs can run, play, and socialize safely. It's also where neighbors meet, and where a real community has grown.
For six years, the Dogpark Improvement Group (DIG) has worked alongside KCMO Parks and Recreation and the Penn Valley Park Conservancy to care for this space. We've organized cleanup days, added water bowls, planted trees (with only a 20% loss rate, and two more going in this fall!), and spent six years advocating for the new ADA-approved water fountain, which we finally won in 2026.
But this October, the park is set to shut down for 3-4 weeks of turf maintenance, right when the weather is at its best and our dogs need the space most.
Why this closure should be reconsidered:
It doesn't make a visible difference. The spring closure in April is essential for recovery. The fall closure is not. In years without it, the grounds stayed in comparable shape. Additionally, the park was already recently largely unused for the World Cup for a month.
Other parks don't close. Swope, Kemp, Stoll, Heritage, Kill Creek, and Shawnee Mission dog parks have the same grass, clover, and weed mix, and none of them close for weeks every fall. Only Penn Valley and West Terrace do.
Real repairs don't need weeks. Urgent safety issues like potholes have been fixed by maintenance crews in a few hours without closing the park. DIG has offered volunteer help with upkeep many times, and that offer still stands.
What we're asking for:
In 2026: Shorten the October closure to two weeks, so the park reopens in time to enjoy the fall and maybe even host a community Halloween gathering.
Going forward: End the extended fall closure. Use rolling section closures or quick-response maintenance when real repairs are needed, the same way other area parks do.
We respect the need for good groundskeeping. We just don't believe a month-long shutdown during the best weeks of the year for the safety of both the dogs and their people is the only way to do it.
Sign to keep Penn Valley Dog Park open when our community needs it most. Then share this petition with your fellow park regulars and email the decision makers below.
Victory
The Issue
Every day, hundreds of dogs and their owners come to the Penn Valley Off-Leash Dog Park. For many of us living in Midtown and Downtown apartments and condos, it's the only place our dogs can run, play, and socialize safely. It's also where neighbors meet, and where a real community has grown.
For six years, the Dogpark Improvement Group (DIG) has worked alongside KCMO Parks and Recreation and the Penn Valley Park Conservancy to care for this space. We've organized cleanup days, added water bowls, planted trees (with only a 20% loss rate, and two more going in this fall!), and spent six years advocating for the new ADA-approved water fountain, which we finally won in 2026.
But this October, the park is set to shut down for 3-4 weeks of turf maintenance, right when the weather is at its best and our dogs need the space most.
Why this closure should be reconsidered:
It doesn't make a visible difference. The spring closure in April is essential for recovery. The fall closure is not. In years without it, the grounds stayed in comparable shape. Additionally, the park was already recently largely unused for the World Cup for a month.
Other parks don't close. Swope, Kemp, Stoll, Heritage, Kill Creek, and Shawnee Mission dog parks have the same grass, clover, and weed mix, and none of them close for weeks every fall. Only Penn Valley and West Terrace do.
Real repairs don't need weeks. Urgent safety issues like potholes have been fixed by maintenance crews in a few hours without closing the park. DIG has offered volunteer help with upkeep many times, and that offer still stands.
What we're asking for:
In 2026: Shorten the October closure to two weeks, so the park reopens in time to enjoy the fall and maybe even host a community Halloween gathering.
Going forward: End the extended fall closure. Use rolling section closures or quick-response maintenance when real repairs are needed, the same way other area parks do.
We respect the need for good groundskeeping. We just don't believe a month-long shutdown during the best weeks of the year for the safety of both the dogs and their people is the only way to do it.
Sign to keep Penn Valley Dog Park open when our community needs it most. Then share this petition with your fellow park regulars and email the decision makers below.
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
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Petition created on September 23, 2026