Central Blue Valley

When an old neighborhood gym was going to be demolished, the residents of Central Blue Valley banded together to advocate for its renovation into a youth sports center — a project that would go on to draw the support of the Kansas City Police Force, the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL themselves. That’s the kind of place Blue Valley is. Residents here don’t give up when something needs a little love, they fight for it.

Central Blue Valley, a suburb of Kansas City, is mostly inhabited by renters of townhomes and apartments. However, in the northeast, there are a few neighborhoods of single-family homes. Bungalows backed by wooded yards go for around $100,000, and larger colonials and ranch styles can get up to $200,000. Sidewalks are overgrown and cracked by mature trees, and rocking chairs sit out on front porches. Many residents park on the streets, but over on E 18th Terrace, where lawns are bigger and skies more open, there are attached garages and paved driveways.

The cornerstone of the neighborhood is the Police Athletic League, or as locals call it, PAL. What began as a derelict gym became a place where kids of all ages could come after school to get a free meal, play sports with friends and interact with the officers who volunteer as coaches. Nancy Simons, one of the original founders of the PAL project and the Vice President of the Blue Valley Neighborhood Association, says: “I used to play at that gym when I was a kid, so when they were planning to demolish it, I got to thinking, and with the support of the community we were able to get it redone.” Now, more than 200 kids attend PAL every week.

But the Blue Valley community didn’t stop there. With the help of neighborhood associations from all over Kansas City, the Kansas City Chiefs, and even some contacts higher up in the NFL, the PAL center raised enough money to build a brand-new football field right there in the neighborhood. Beyond sports, PAL also runs food and clothing drives and has a Youth Advisory Board where kids can hold leadership positions in their community.

Kids also get leadership opportunities at schools. The neighborhood school Trailwoods Elementary is part of the Lighthouse program, where students get the opportunity to learn about real careers by shadowing school employees. “It’s a great program for encouraging leadership qualities,” says Simons. “When the kids graduate, they all get t-shirts that say “I am the Leader in Me.” In the south of the neighborhood, J.A. Roger Elementary School is another option. Both schools are rated C-minus by Niche. They also provide before and after-school care and offer free breakfast and lunch. Students can then attend Northeast Middle School before heading to East High School, both ranked C-minus by Niche as well. “East High School is a sort of agriculture school,” explains Simons. “It’s got all the features of a normal school, but it also has goats, chickens, and vegetable gardens.” She goes on: “The kids get a kick out watching things grow and caring for the animals; it's an experience they wouldn’t normally get in the city.”

For even more nature, Blue Valley Park is only a short walk away. The park is a sprawling green space complete with a fishing pond, a frisbee golf course, and a seasonal water “sprayground.” A mobile health clinic travels to the park every week to provide residents access to health services, and large pavilions play host to birthday parties and community gatherings. For special holidays, the Blue Valley Neighborhood Association works to make sure residents are feeling celebratory. On Thanksgiving, boxes of turkey with all the fixings are passed out to families that want them. And PAL makes sure that all their kids receive gifts on the holidays.

While green space and community events are plentiful, there isn’t as much shopping and dining right nearby. “We have some chains and fast-food places, but we do have a need for more walk-in restaurants,” laments Simons. “We are very close to the Power and Light district in the city, though, which has some great barbecue joints — Kansas City’s specialty!” The heart of Kansas City is just 5 miles away, but for shopping, many residents head away from the city center, taking the convenient highways 10 minutes east to visit shopping centers that include big box stores like Walmart and Aldi.

Written By

Catherine Lashley

Photography Contributed By

Brooke Wasson

Video By

Mallory Nolte