From site of Prairie Village church, a 3-acre park with garden, play area will emerge

For more than 60 years, Faith Lutheran Church was a cherished spiritual gathering spot at 67th Street and Roe Avenue in Prairie Village.

But it fell on hard times, closed last year and has been demolished. Still, city officials hope the former church grounds will soon be home to another vibrant community gathering spot.

The city bought the property for $1.1 million and is now making plans for North Park on the 3-acre site.

“Our village vision has pointed out that there wasn’t much parkland in the northern part of the city,” said Alley Porter, assistant to the city administrator, who is part of a steering committee exploring concepts for the park. She said the goal is to alleviate that shortcoming with this new park. The church demolition and park construction are expected to cost roughly $1 million, and Porter said that funding is available within the city’s budget.

Current plans call for a garden, bocce ball court, picnic shelters, an open grass area, play area and 37-space parking lot. Porter said the exact design of the garden and play area is not complete. BBN Architects is working with the city to design the park. The city also plans a marker to commemorate the church’s history.