Big weekend for Kansas City

Yes sir, a big few to several days coming up for the metropolitan area.

First up, Saturday night, Waterfire on Brush Creek on the Plaza. A great, fun, unique and free event.

Next up, also Saturday night, the defacto Hallowe'en Saturday night since the actual Hallowe'en falls a few days later on a week night. It will likely be crazy.

Because the full moon is the 29th, it's rather perfectly situated as nearly full for Saturday night and then, again, nearly full on the actual Hallowe'en, the 31st.

I'm thinking it's going to be at least a crazy weekend in the area, if not also a deadly one for some.

Here's hoping I'm wrong on that last point.

Happy Hallowe'en, y'all. See you at Waterfire.

Link: http://moravings.blogspot.com/2011/10/brush-creek-two-fer-tonight.html

Brush Creek two-fer tonight

As so many people know, Waterfire is performing this evening, beginning at dusk, on Brush Creek on the Plaza. Sure, we know that. Additionally, however, as some may not know, Quixotic is also performing on the main bridge over the creek, too. Go. Enjoy. It's great fun. And all free. You can't beat it.

"Waterfire", renamed

Last evening's performance on Brush Creek should be renamed. It was to be "Waterfire", of course, and it's always terrific but last night's should just be called "Water", what with the rain before it, which delayed the beginning, and then at the end, hastening it's close. I will say this, though, too--the blocking of the sidewalks along the creed stifled the flow and fun of the event. In the past, we could all, as a crowd, go up and down, back and forth at the creek so it made the whole experience very flowing and open and "alive". This time, because we weren't to be on the sidewalks--they were concerned the creek would rise and there we'd all be in water up to our ankles--it killed some of the energy of the event. Still, though, it was fun and a great street party. And Kansas City doesn't have enough street parties.

Considering Brush Creek (Or is it "Flush Creek"?)

With the celebrated and totally fun "Waterfire" coming up again this month at Brush Creek, it seems a good time to examine it a bit. First thing, let's admit that it's not so much a clean waterway for our enjoyment, as citizens of the city--it's a drainage for who knows what. Years ago, my daughter and I would spend one evening per week walking the Plaza and so, of course, Brush Creek. One evening, as we were on one of those walks, we noticed a couple of things about the Creek. The first thing we noticed was that it was running black all of a sudden. On further examination, there was a drainage pipe a bit West of the waterfall drop that was oozing out some thick black goo. The second thing we noticed was that it was having the effect of killing everything in the creek. The last thing we noticed was that two city Water Department crew members were there, taking it all in. I have regretted, ever since, not asking them what in the world was happening and where that pipe led to, besides Mission Hills. It was at that time I realized, again, that Brush Creek is just really drainage. Which brings me to my query. That is, I'd love to know the history of the thing. But what I want to know is the technical history of it--why it's set up like it is and why we haven't done anything about it, to clean it up. It shouldn't be the sewer that it apparently is. Thank goodness it doesn't stink (that much). Now, there's a more recent development that I don't think is getting any attention. That is, just East of Cleveland, on Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard (the former Van Brunt to you and me), an island has sprung up in the middle of the creek. True. An island. I've been watching it form since last Winter. It began as just muck and mire that built up, over time, from upstream. But it congealed, formed a mass rather like mud, anchored and now has grown grass, I think, or some weeds all over it. It looks as though it was meant to be there. That and along the banks of the creek, further down, the same stuff is forming more along the shores, narrowing the channel. My point in bringing this up? One, to point it out. It seems no one has that I've seen. Two, I bring it up because I think the city should, once and for all, clean up Brush Creek and the sooner the better. The city--the people and the government, both--should get behind this and do it, if we can afford it. If we can't afford it right now, at least do a study to see what it would take to clean it up--what it would take technically and then what it would take financially so, one day, hopefully, we could do just that--clean up and then enjoy our precious "Flush Creek".