Johnson County is celebrating two additions to its parks system this month: the colossal Big Bull Creek Park in southwest Johnson County and a playground in the Stilwell area that’s accessible to all children, including those with disabilities.

Officials will cut the ribbon Sept. 22 on Big Bull Creek Park, an expanse of about 2,000 acres at 20425 Sunflower Road in Edgerton. It is now the largest park in the county system, which also includes Shawnee Mission and Heritage parks.
According to a county planning document, the idea of acquiring land for the park dates to 1997 when a Citizens Visioning Committee recommended that action be taken to balance development with the preservation of open spaces.

The next year, voters approved a referendum that allowed the park district to acquire 1,334 acres for the park between 1999 and 2001. An additional 600 acres were acquired in 2005. Development of the park had to await a budget increase for the parks district in 2015.

The district’s website put the cost of the first phase of improvements at $6 million. Part of the long-range vision is to restore natural habitats to make the park more hospitable to wildlife.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)