When leaving for a summer vacation, protecting your home is just as important as protecting the items you bring with you. Be sure to take the necessary steps to give you peace of mind while you’re away. Here are some frequent mistakes to avoid.
Homeowners often hide spare keys around their houses, whether inside a fake rock, in a nearby plant or under the welcome mat. Because this is so commonplace, most burglars can easily find the hidden key, which makes breaking into your home quite simple. Instead, opt to keep a house key in a safer place, such as with a trusted neighbor, family member or friend.
It’s well known that you shouldn’t advertise vacations online (or anywhere, for that matter) before taking off on your trip. Don’t even post social media status updates while still on vacation. But maybe even more important is double-checking your social media accounts to make sure your address is not readily available to anyone seeking it. Delete past posts, party invites or events that may include your phone number as well. It’s easy to do a quick Google search and link a phone number to an address.
If you typically park your car in your driveway when you’re home, ask your neighbor if he/she would mind parking their car in your driveway while you’re away. This will give the appearance that someone is home. Keep up on regular home maintenance. Do you normally have a gardener maintain your lawn and landscaping? Weekly visits from the pool guy? Keep these schedules. If you do your own lawn work, hire it out or recruit family or friends to help while you’re gone.
Have a neighbor retrieve your recycling bin on trash day. If any potential thief is staking out houses, they’ll notice if something is off.
One easy way to tell if someone isn’t home is to just notice the pile of newspapers on the front lawn or the overflow of mail pouring from the mailbox. Suspending your mail service or having a trusted neighbor pick up your mail is a great way to deter thieves.
As simple as this sounds, sometimes people forget to double check that every door and window in their home is locked and secure before they head out on a trip. About 30-35% of all home break-ins in the U.S. take place through an open door or window.
Installing outdoor light with sensors or motion activation is always recommended for general home security. While you are away, using timers or other smart home lighting systems on interior lamps/lights will give the impression that someone is home and could deter unwanted guests.
The WPHA private security patrol comprised of retired and off-duty KCPD officers will check your house, doors, locks, windows and yard while you are on vacation and contact you if anything looks suspicious. Peace of mind while on vacation is priceless! Make sure you support this add-on service to get access to the vacation patrol benefit.
After 26 years, Maureen Hardy knows a thing or two about living in the Ward Parkway Homes Association. A longtime WPHA Board member, she’s a great advocate for our neighborhood at City Hall.
What street do you live on? Pennsylvania Avenue
Why did you choose to live in this neighborhood? Chose this neighborhood because it is a great community. beautiful homes and close to businesses.
Do any family members or pets live with you? Husband Gene
Occupation (past or present)? Retired, worked for Mayor Kay Barnes for 10 years.
How do you like to spend your free time? Reading, exercising, watching Kansas City Royals.
What is at the top of your bucket list? Don’t really have one, but would like to visit all the states I haven’t seen yet.
What is something most people don’t know about you? Love to sit on porch and enjoy the neighborhood and have it filled with neighbors that stop by and socialize.
What’s the most interesting feature of, or story about, your house? Built in 1923, great old beautiful house with lots of original, beautiful woodwork.
What is your favorite event or memory of the neighborhood? After we moved in, so many neighbors came and introduced themselves and offered us help. We went to July 4th picnic and met lots of folks and had a great time, and the rest is history.
What is your favorite area business/restaurant/meal/drink/service? Waldo Pizza, and most of the businesses we’ve used are great and friendly.
What Waldo hidden gem would you recommend to neighbors and why? Being a part and joining the WPHA and signing up to volunteer and help out with some of our fun activities and meet more of your neighbors. Dues are very reasonable.
Is there anything you would change about the neighborhood? Have more four-way stop signs around the school especially, and enforce the speed limit around our house, which is right next to the school.
Maureen Hardy
The WPHA seeks volunteers to help with upcoming events and committee activities. Can you offer some of your time or talent? (This is a great opportunity for high-school-aged neighbors to earn community service hours.)
Volunteers needed to help assemble and deliver donation bags with instructions to each house in the neighborhood during the weekend of June 1. Volunteers also needed to collect and sort food donations and deliver them to Harvesters on Saturday, June 8.
This lunchtime event takes place on Thursday, July 4. We need 10 volunteers. No prior volunteer experience is needed. Volunteers should be able to lift 10 pounds, stand for 60-minute intervals, and present a positive energy. Volunteers will be asked to come to the event 1 hour before it starts, work periodically during the picnic, and stay about 1 hour after it ends. Volunteers will be able to eat during the picnic. High school students are encouraged to volunteer.
Volunteers needed for WPHA’s Spring Membership Drive, Thirsty Thursdays, and Fall Neighborhood Night Out. No prior volunteer experience is needed. Volunteers should be able to walk the neighborhood for 30–60-minute intervals, stand for 60 minute intervals, and present a positive energy. High school students are encouraged to volunteer for Membership Drive. Volunteers must be 21 years of age or older for Thirsty Thursday and Neighborhood Night Out.
Volunteers needed to join the committee as regular members. No prior volunteer experience is needed. Committee volunteers may be asked to communicate with local law enforcement agencies and/or local city officials and represent the WPHA at other crime/safety groups. Committee volunteers may be asked to summarize reports and work with basic computer programs.
Contact the WPHA to raise your hand. We’ll reply to your email within 72 business hours. Please identify the opportunity for which you would like to volunteer.
Not surprisingly, a recent WPHA survey found that residents appreciate the beauty of our neighborhood and have a deep interest in keeping it looking good. Although the WPHA contributes to this effort by maintaining two public green spaces, much of the responsibility for beautification lies with individual homeowners, according to the Kansas City Code of Ordinances. Several excerpts from the code are summarized below:
Property owners and occupants have a duty to keep the sidewalk, curbing and guttering that adjoins their property in good order. This includes clearing away all earth or litter and removing obstructions that are dangerous, inconvenient or “annoying.” Residents are prohibited from sweeping litter from sidewalks into the gutters and streets.
In between the city’s weekly waste collections, refuse containers must be stored in the rear yard or a side yard. (Residents on corner lots may not store their trash containers on either of the street sides.)
If appropriate storage imposes an undue hardship because of an occupant’s advanced age or physical limitations, storage of refuse containers may be permitted elsewhere on the property. However, the trash containers must be screened from the view of other residential properties by a solid wall or tight fence.
Residents who have scheduled supplemental waste collection pickups may not place their items at the curb earlier than 3 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection date. Items for disposal are permitted to remain at the curb no more than 24 hours.
In Kansas City’s residentially zoned districts, there are two options for parking and storing recreational vehicles, boats, trailers and camper shells:
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!
Meet Mike Allmon, the current Ward Parkway Homes Association secretary, who has lived in the neighborhood for 15 years. He started in landscaping when he was 14 years old as an assistant with his father’s tree care business. Today, he makes sure the public green spaces in the WPHA are well maintained. Thanks, Mike!
What street do you live on? Belleview Ave.
Why did you choose to live in this neighborhood? Grew up close, great neighbors and history.
Do any family members or pets live with you? Wife Debby, kids Mary and Robert, and dog Max.
Occupation (past or present)? I own Complete Turf and Landscape, full service landscaping company serving residential and commercial properties in the Kansas City area.
How do you like to spend your free time? Getting outside, playing music and traveling.
What is at the top of your bucket list? Traveling to Europe.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I grew up at 76th and Ward Parkway.
What’s the most interesting feature of, or story about, your house? It was built in 1934. The owner lived in the three-car garage (complete with a fireplace) while the main house was being built.
What is your favorite event or memory of the neighborhood? Playing in the abandoned train cars from the old Victoria’s Station restaurant where Burger King is now, at Gregory and Wornall.
What is your favorite area business/restaurant/meal/drink/service? Waldo Pizza.
What Waldo hidden gem would you recommend to neighbors and why? Waldo Grain, cool old building.
Is there anything you would change about the neighborhood? More bicycle and pedestrian friendly.
Mike Allmon and family members
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!
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Meet Richard Murray — recently elected to the WPHA Board of Directors — who lives on Mercier Street. Murray is spearheading a new Membership Committee and has lots of great ideas to energize the neighborhood.
How long have you lived in the neighborhood? Two-and-a-half years. My partner and I moved here from the Silicon Valley in California for a job to which I was recruited. We have lived in the south (Louisville, KY) and the Midwest (Chicago, IL) in the past and are so excited to be back to this part of the country. We plan on living in our current house for the rest of our lives. We love it here!
We did a major renovation on our home before we moved in. The inside of our home is about 80% complete. We are loving the house even more every day!
Why did you choose to live in this neighborhood? I love the sense of community here in our neighborhood. I love the locally owned shops and restaurants as well as larger stores being so close to my home. Plus, the neighborhood is beautiful, and its proximity to the rest of KCMO is extremely handy.
Do any family members or pets live with you? I live with my partner of 20+ years. We chose not to have children. At the moment, we do not have any pets. However, we look forward to welcoming at least two dogs into our family over the next couple of years (we need to complete our home renovation, which includes significant work on the outside of our home.)
Occupation (past or present)? I moved here when I accepted a position at a local e-commerce company. There, I was the chief operations officer. I left that job and have focused on renovating our home. Recently I started looking for my next opportunity.
How do you like to spend your free time? Among other things, I spend my free time working on our home, traveling, watching movies (my partner and I are huge TV and movie aficionados), spending time with friends, hosting shindigs at our home, volunteering, and watching sporting events both live and on TV.
What is at the top of your bucket list? A three- or four-week trip to Australia/New Zealand is near the top of my bucket list. It takes so long to get there, I want to make sure I’m able to do everything I want over there without feeling rushed.
What is something most people don’t know about you? Most people don’t know that I’m actually a huge introvert. It takes a great deal of mental energy for me to interact with folks at social events. I love investing the energy, though, and always enjoy visiting with friends and neighbors and meeting new friends and neighbors.
What’s the most interesting feature of, or story about, your house? One of the most interesting features about my home is the arched French doors in both the dining and living rooms. While these 100-year-old doors are fully functional, we look forward to restoring them and making them look even more beautiful.
What is your favorite event or memory of the neighborhood? My favorite memory I have of our neighborhood thus far is spending time at the Neighborhood Night Out Spring 2018. The was my second event sponsored by the WPHA. I brought with me five houses’ worth of neighbors to this event and had a wonderful time meeting and mingling with everyone there at The District. I can say that since that event, I have maintained many friendships and that sense of community is what motivated me to join the WPHA Board.
What is your favorite area business/restaurant/meal/drink/service? My favorite area restaurant is The District. My favorite starter there is the goat cheese. My favorite drink there is The Fall Feather. My favorite meal there is mac and cheese with shrimp. OMG! Now I’m hungry!
Is there anything you would change about the neighborhood? There isn’t anything I would necessarily change about the neighborhood. However, I do hope that we can muster up more participation from the residents in our WPHA functions. I know that the WPHA is committed to offering more opportunities for our residents to attend to give us a chance to get to know each other. Activities like WPHA-sponsored happy hours, ice cream socials, pizza party meet and greets and MORE! A calendar will be circulated soon. When the calendar comes out, the WPHA hopes to see you there!
Richard Murray
Meet Nancy Bader, the current Ward Parkway Homes Association president, who has lived on Pennsylvania Avenue since June 2016.
Why did you choose to live in this neighborhood? We lived in Rockhill Gardens in the early ’90s. Then we moved to Johnson County for almost 20 years because of my job. We missed the city. We needed to come back. We wanted a walkable neighborhood. Someplace we could walk to shops, restaurants and other services. Moving to this neighborhood gave us all that, but it also allowed us to be close to friends and to be near areas of the city we enjoy the most. What we didn’t expect was the amazing sense of community this neighborhood provides. That has been the best benefit of living here!
Do any family members or pets live with you? My wife, Linetta, and two crazy dogs, Corbin and Daisy. In the picture, Daisy is closest to me.
Occupation (past or present)? I currently work with older adults. I teach strength, balance and flexibility classes, but I am most known for being a retired air traffic controller. Despite the frenetic nature of that job, I’m actually a very calm person.
How do you like to spend your free time? I love to exercise. We have a great Y on Troost, not too far from here, where I spend a fair amount of free time. This summer I will take advantage of the trolley trail.
What is at the top of your bucket list? I’m one of “those” people. I don’t have one.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I really enjoy socializing with a variety of people but, believe it or not, I hate to talk on the phone.
What’s the most interesting feature of, or story about, your house? Everyone who visits says the house has “good energy.” We felt the same thing the first time we entered the house. It is interesting how many people have said the same thing.
What is your favorite event or memory of the neighborhood? The first event we attended was the 4th of July picnic. We met new neighbors, learned about our area and were immediately welcomed. We knew then we made a good decision to live here. That friendliness also extends to everyday life. When people are out walking, they stop, talk and enjoy each other. I love that!
What is your favorite area business/restaurant/meal/drink/service? Because they are so close, we visit the District often, but there are so many neat businesses in the area we visit. It is hard to narrow down a favorite.
What Waldo hidden gem would you recommend to neighbors and why? I’m still exploring after more than two years. I don’t have one, yet.
Is there anything you would change about the neighborhood? Yes, I want more of our residents to be members of the Ward Parkway Homes Association. There are so many fun and interesting people in our community. With more members, we could provide additional social events and neighborhood services that would bring us together to make a stronger community. And building a stronger, more connected community makes our neighborhood safer and more enjoyable. I would love to see this neighborhood get even better than it already is!
Nancy Bader with Corbin and Daisy
It’s so convenient to buy goods online and have them delivered to our homes. The downside is that it’s also easy for thieves to make off with those unattended packages. Here are some tried and true methods — plus some new ones — you may want to consider to keep your packages out of the hands of porch pirates.
More secure package delivery options are being developed all the time. Please share with us what has worked well for you.