The 2020 membership drive is off to a successful start! We had 200 homes renew or join the Ward Parkway Homes Association during the first month of the drive in October. Of those, a record number of residents signed up for the KCPD security patrol this early in the fiscal year. Several residents became members at Neighborhood Night Out held at The District in late September. It was the first time we offered a convenient online payment station at that event. The WPHA Board is excited about the momentum and enthusiasm shown by our neighbors. Thank you to all who have paid dues for the 2020 fiscal year so far!
We live in one of the safest neighborhoods in Kansas City, and we know that deterring property crime ranks high among our residents’ feedback about what they want to see from WPHA. That’s why we need you to join WPHA as a Platinum member, to ensure we are able to maintain the KCPD security patrol for our neighborhood. We only need 100 more homes to sign up for the KCPD security patrol to guarantee WPHA can continue to provide this valuable service for our entire neighborhood. Should we have to cancel it in the future, the WPHA would go to the bottom of the waiting list KCPD maintain of other neighborhoods that want to provide this service to their residents. The waiting list is long and we would likely wait many years to get the service back. You can ensure that doesn’t happen. You can ensure KCPD security patrol continues to be part of our vibrant neighborhood.
In addition to the KCPD security patrol benefit, there are also other benefits included in your membership:
September is the time of year when the Ward Parkway Homes Association sends out our yearly membership mailing. The mailing includes lots of important information about the coming year. This year is no exception. You should receive your mailing by mid-September. Check your mail for this important information.
While the WPHA sends the membership mailing information every year, this year we are taking a little different approach. First, we are formalizing all new and renewing membership activities into a more organized 2020 WPHA Membership Drive!
The Membership Drive kicks off with the mailing. Here’s what you’ll find inside:
The second part of the 2020 WPHA Membership Drive is our involvement in the Waldo Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. Members of the WPHA Board of Directors as well as volunteers will staff a booth all day. We will be there to any questions you may have about the Ward Parkway Homes Association. Stop by and say hi!
Finally, the Membership Drive culminates at our fall WPHA Neighborhood Night Out on Sunday, Sept. 29, from 4 to 7 p.m. at District. Pour House + Kitchen. As always, beverages and nibbles will be provided, along with door prizes. Watch for a flyer delivered to your door with all the details.
The WPHA hopes to continue to provide the level of interaction and community engagement requested by our residents. A survey was conducted in 2018 and we took your feedback to heart. The WPHA strives to provide the right level of family-friendly activities alongside activities for grownups only. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store for 2020!
Alex Gill has lived on Jefferson Street for the last five years and serves on the WPHA Membership Committee. Here’s how he answered our resident profile questions:
Why did you choose to live in this neighborhood? My wife and I were living in an apartment on the Plaza and wanted to start a family. We knew we wanted to stay within KCMO city limits, and this area of town just spoke to us!
Do any family members or pets live with you? My wife, Caroline, our 18-month-old daughter, Lily, and our dog, Trudy.
Occupation (past or present)? Both Caroline and I work at Children’s Mercy (Hospital Hill) and love it!
How do you like to spend your free time? We truly enjoy staying local….like taking Lily and Trudy on neighborhood walks and taking part in local experiences like long lines at Betty Rae’s on nice summer evenings!
What’s the most interesting feature of, or story about, your house? The previous owner of our home worked for NASA, which I think has to be pretty rare!
What is your favorite area business/restaurant/meal/drink/service? Betty Rae’s! Both Caroline and I went to Mizzou, and the owner of Betty Rae’s used to work for Sparky’s Ice Cream Shop in Columbia! So, naturally, I feel a connection. Caroline jokes with our friends that I single-handedly made sure that Betty Rae’s made it through the first month by going every single night!
What Waldo hidden gem would you recommend to neighbors and why? F3 Fitness (75th Street across from CVS). Andre is the owner/operator and is tough, but fair. He provides a quality service at a fair price. If you’re thinking about improving your personal fitness then I recommend you go talk to him.
Is there anything you would change about the neighborhood? We love the neighborhood! If I could change one thing it would be the level of involvement. I would love to see more people in the neighborhood involved in the association!
Caroline and Alex Gill
Great news, neighbors! The WPHA Membership Committee is conducting its first ever mid-year membership drive during May through June. For a limited time, we have discounted the price of a homes association membership plus security patrol dues from $110 to just $75 — a savings of 32%.
Our KCPD security patrol service is the single biggest line item in the WPHA budget. We partner with nearby homes associations to pay for patrol by off-duty KCPD police officers. They help deter and respond to property crimes such as theft, burglary, robbery and vandalism. It makes the entire neighborhood safer and, for participating members, it provides security checkups on your home while you are out of town.
We want to maintain our valuable security patrol service at its current level. To do that, we need your help! We need you to become a member and support the security patrol.
You’ve been thinking about joining the WPHA. Now is the time! Take advantage of the significant mid-year membership drive discount so our entire neighborhood can continue to enjoy the benefits of the added security that regular police patrols provides our neighborhood.
To access the special discount, follow these simple steps:
If you prefer to pay by check, send payment to:
Ward Parkway Homes Association
P.O. Box 140083, Kansas City, MO 64114
Security patrol has made our neighborhood safer. Its regular presence helps keep crime rates low and drives would-be criminals out of our area. And remember, security patrol supporters enjoy the added benefit of having officers monitor your home when you are away. This extra peace of mind is a major benefit only available to our neighborhood when we participate in the security patrol service through the KCPD.
The mid-year membership drive will end June 30, 2019. Join or renew today to take advantage of discounted pricing!
Hey neighbors! The Ward Parkway Homes Association Membership Committee is kicking off a series of happy hour hangouts at local bars to give neighbors like you another reason to get to know each other. Join us for a drink and chat during our Thirsty Thursday events.
We’ll provide some pitchers of free beer to share, or you can purchase your favorite drink at the bar. Stop by to meet some WPHA Board members and volunteers, as well as other residents in our neighborhood. Ask us all your burning questions about the homes association. We’d love to quench your thirst for answers.
You do not need to be a dues-paying member of the WPHA to participate. Look for our group towards the back of the bar.
Thursday, May 2, 2019, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Bobby Baker’s Lounge (7418 Wornall Rd.)
Thursday, June 6, 2019, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Dodson’s Bar and Commons (7438 Wornall Rd.)
Thursday, July 11, 2019, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Bobby Baker’s Lounge
Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Dodson’s Bar and Commons
See you soon!
???? Cheers ????
The Ward Parkway Homes Association is excited to announce the launch of a Membership Committee and its focus in the coming year. Richard Murray (Mercier Street) has joined the WPHA Board and will head the committee in 2019. Secretary Mike Allmon (Belleview Avenue) and Alex Gill (Jefferson Street) will serve as formal members, and several others volunteers will support the work.
Membership in the homes association is a priority for the WPHA Board this year. The primary charge of the Membership Committee will be to increase engagement with our residents and increase participation in the WPHA. Look for more frequent social interactions from the Membership Committee. Leveraging connections with local businesses and other community partners will be another important aspect of helping increase visibility of, and participation in, the WPHA. The Membership Committee will also be seen knocking on doors from time to time to welcome new residents into our neighborhood.
The WPHA Board looks forward to the work the Membership Committee is undertaking for 2019. If you would like to volunteer your time and talents, please contact us.
The Ward Parkway Homes Association would like input from residents about satisfaction with member benefits and neighborhood services. Your feedback will help inform future decisions made by our Board of Directors.
Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey.
Thanks!
The Ward Parkway Homes Association is full of residents who watch out for each other and value working together to keep our neighborhood beautiful, safe and welcoming. Look for a letter to arrive in your mailbox soon reminding you to renew your annual membership for fiscal year 2019, or join for the first time if you are not currently a member. (Our fiscal year runs Oct. 1–Sept. 30.)
Your membership and security dues support our private security patrol, maintenance and beautification of common areas, welcome kits for new neighbors, social events and more.
You can pay online securely via PayPal or mail in a renewal form with a check.
The Ward Parkway Homes Association is a wonderful neighborhood filled with neighbors who watch out for each other and value working together to keep our neighborhood beautiful, safe and welcoming. We invite you to renew your annual membership in the association by Oct. 1, 2017 — or join for the first time if you are not currently a member. You can send a check by mail or pay online.
The budget for operating your association for a year is approximately $26,000. This includes beautification and maintenance of common areas, social events for all ages, representation at local community meetings, website and other communication methods, welcome kits for new neighbors and our private security patrol.
Our security patrol service was set up several years ago because residents wanted more of a public safety presence in the neighborhood. Not only do off-duty and former officers patrol our streets for up to 36 hours per week, but if you’ve paid for the service, they will also provide vacation house checks when you are out of town. The patrol service is primarily responsible for deterring and responding to property crimes such as theft, burglary, robbery and vandalism.
The security patrol service costs $60 per year for residents — or 16 cents a day. We encourage you to share the responsibility for providing this safety benefit to our neighborhood and help us continue to maintain some of the lowest crime rates in the city. To request a vacation security service check, fill out this form.
As technology advances, our communication tools have changed. Besides our website and Facebook page, this fall we are debuting a new email newsletter. We realize that some residents prefer a traditional print newsletter or opt out of using computers. But producing and mailing a quarterly print version is more expensive than an e-newsletter, which we can send to residents more frequently. Unlike the Nextdoor social media platform, this e-newsletter will contain only information related to our neighborhood.
The Ward Parkway Homes Association has maintained the same membership dues for more than eight years, and we strive to keep dues reasonable for everyone to afford. In order to continue to cover rising expenses for our security patrol and other activities, membership dues will increase this year to $50 per home. Our general dues have covered a deficit in the security patrol the past two years so we can offer competitive rates to retain high-quality off-duty officers. Security patrol dues will continue to be $60 per year. This will help us continue to balance our budget and have funds for all association needs. In response to your requests for an online dues-payment option, last year we began offering online payment via PayPal.
The WPHA Board of Directors and committees are made up of volunteer residents. A core group help us with activities, events, and representation at city meetings such as the Community Policing Action Cooperative, Country Club/Waldo Area Plan Steering Committee, and Southtown Council. There is strength in numbers, and we need more help and fresh ideas. Please consider volunteering your time and talents. Even a small involvement builds connection and capacity in our community.
Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. Hope to see you at our events this fall!
Sincerely,
Alison Baker
WPHA Vice President