Penguin Park in 2011.Photo byKansas City Parks and Recreation via Facebook.

There are many parks in Kansas City, Missouri, but Penguin Park at 4101 NE Vivion Road promises to wow any child and maybe some parents too. You won't find another park like this in Kansas City. It's a popular destination for many locals including my daughter's family.

If you're with a family passing through this part of the country, you might want to put this on your to-do list for your children. Naturally, through the years, the park has been updated and it houses some iconic fiberglass animals. For many who have lived in Kansas City or what residents call the Northland, this park is somewhat nostalgic.

Photo byKansas City Parks and Recreation via Facebook.

This park is maintained by Kansas City Parks & Recreation and it was established in 1957. The first item you see on arrival is the 23-foot giant penguin or the 26-foot tall kangaroo slide. There are many options here to attract your child's attention.

There is no cost associated with entering the playground. Just park and go have fun! The park is open from 5:00 a.m. to midnight every day.

There's also a shelter at Penguin Park containing 11 tables with a total seating capacity of 66. There are restroom facilities and grills. The shelter is reserveable and would be a great spot for a birthday party. Call (816) 513-7500 for more information.

Photo byKansas City Parks and Recreation via Facebook.

Lakewood Greenway Trail

In case you aren't aware, a 1.28 mile loop trail known as the Lakewood Greenway Trail also starts from Penguin Park. It's a concrete trail that wraps around two lakes, a small pedestrian bridge, and some woods before winding back to the playground park.

Lakewood Greenway is an area acquired by Kansas City's Parks Department in 1957. Penguin Park sits in Lakewood Greenway Park, however, the name of the playground park was offically named Penguin Park in 1998 even though for years it was referred to as Penguin Park.

The park has a giant penguin, kangaroo, giraffe and elephant. They were hand-made by Vernon W. Jones, an engineer and craftsman. Interestingly, Jones was employed by Kansas City Parks and Recreation in the mid-1950s.

Vernon Jones became the first parks superintendent for the Northland, and continued to work on other fiberglass structures and sculptures for the city, in addition to managing the Northland parks. (Source.)

Vernon Jones died on December 19, 2004, at age 86. Jones, who was a World War II veteran, worked for Kansas City Parks and Recreation for 25 years. Penguin Park animals will always be part of his legacy and because of those animals, he'll always be remembered.

Thanks for reading.