Kansas City Mayoral Contender Clay Chastain Shares Sunday Call To Action

In this post we compile more than a few notices from longshot contender Clay Chastain as he ramps up his effort to win an EPIC UPSET VICTORY against incumbent Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Longtime TKC readers might be familiar with some of these ideas but we'll let Clay Chastain speak for himself in these messages to local media . . .

Major Sunday press release (#1) from Mayoral Candidate Clay Chastain: Chastain launches final 10-day (*Vision to Victory*) Campaign to win the Mayor's race. Meanwhile, (Parade) Lucas leads a "Pride" Parade; Parades around Washington; Parades out divisive social justice issues and, of course, led a Super Bowl Parade.

Chastain holds Major Campaign Press Conference Monday @ High Noon (@ Liberty Memorial Plaza Wall, overlooking City) to reveal the details, and answer questions, about how he will LEAD Kansas City (in the first 90-days of his Mayoral Administration) toward liberating the people from the failed policies of a failed radical Mayor and a degrading urban environment beset with... record-setting homicides, a lack of affordable housing, a lack of Modern Public Transportation; and a lack of a Great Downtown Central Park, et al.

Mayor Lucas may be a nice man, but he has proven he is incapable of providing the leadership Kansas City aches for to free itself from its many serious problems and capture its great potential. Chastain's "Kansas City Revitalization Initiative" (slated to go before voters, if Clay is elected Mayor) represents the New Vision necessary to bring back Kansas City, unite us in common purpose and provide a better quality of life for all.

At the press conference, Chastain will hand out the Ballot language for his "Kansas City Revitalization Initiative" that is designed to:

1. End the homicide crisis.
2. Generate affordable housing.
3. Build a (New Generation) Greenway Transportation System.
4. Build an Airport Monorail Greenway connecting the entire City.
5. Revitalize Penn Valley Park.
6. Reconfigure Union Station's North Wing into a Regional Transportation Center.
7. Secure (matching) Federal Infrastructure Funds.
8. Fund the Initiative without raising taxes (extends existing 3/8-cent bus sales tax for 25-years).
9. Strengthen the economy & connect neighborhoods.
10. Generate new pride in the KCMO Community.

Clay Chastain

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Chastain press release: Chastain asks the Community to open its eyes to what (250-acre) run down, deserted and "scary" Penn Valley Park could be - the Greatest Downtown Urban Park in America!

Riding my bike all over Penn Valley Park was both thrilling (inspiring historical monuments, greenery and fantastic views of Downtown & Union Station) and sad (trashy, deserted and under utilized).
Nobody was in the park recreating, but me. Nevertheless, I was able to interview 20 KC voters inside the park (City maintenance workers, Liberty Memorial visitors and people in the dog park). I shared with them my vision for revitalizing the Park and all 20 (unanimously and enthusiastically) supported my design to:  Reconfigure the park into a beautifully landscaped, Natural and family-oriented Greenway / Trails Park (with no cars or parking allowed inside the Park).
 
Here are a few of the notable comments I received:
1. Awesome to the max.
2. I wish it were that way now.
3. Everyday we are out here picking up trash and litter (mostly from homeless people). It's disrespectful. Your plan would make my job easier.
4. The park is really scary at night. It needs changing.
5. People can drive around the park-its not like we have a shortage of streets here.
6. I never see families having picnics or any kids flying kites or running around the park.
7. I want a place I can sit down under a tree, feel safe and breathe.

It's obvious citizens are aching for a safe, quiet and expansive open green space as a respite from KC's downtown asphalt jungle. And Lucas & the Corporate Establishment's $200 million 4-acre (fake) park over the 670 freeway can't compare.

Here are some more details and info:

* All recreational trails will be paved in crushed limestone and wide enough to accommodate maintenance and emergency vehicles.
* Perimeter parking will be served by circulating electric trams (similar to what zoos use) to transport passengers who need assistance getting into and out of the Park.
* Bicycle-mounted police will patrol the park. The Park will open at sunrise and close at dusk (No one is allowed in the Park after dark).
* Penn Valley Greenway Park will be the new Crown Jewel of Kansas City's Great Park System.

Lucas has no real answers to KC's mounting and serious problems including.... how to take a long-fallen Park and transform it into a Grand Park for the People.

Clay Chastain
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Clay Chastain Sunday Press Release #3: The Mayoral Candidate that once saved the Nation's greatest train station from planned demolition, now forwards a new vision to reconfigure the North Wing of Union Station into the Greatest Multimodal Regional Transportation Center in America.

It was always meant to be more than "Science City", an exhibition hall or plush digs for the Chamber. Engineer Chastain's thrilling design brings Union Station back to life as a real functioning multimodal train station. Union Station will facilitate connections between (Chastain's proposed) new Citywide Airport Monorail, Ultra Light Rail, as well as Electric City Buses, Metro Express Buses, Streetcars and Amtrak (see attached artistic rendering).

* Aside...Chastain's Union Station Hub will require the demolition of two old uglies (Trizec's #1 - 2300 Main St. &  #2 - 2301 Main St.). #1 is jammed up against the Eastside of Union Station blocking transit access to the depot's North Waiting Room (Hub). This travesty of  professional urban planning (broods over Union Station with ugly, towering HVAC units on its roof) also compromises the historical integrity of the magnificent structure. Adding to the misery #1 imposes, this award-winning monstrosity obliterates the view of Union Station from the east and partially blocks a view of Downtown as seen from Liberty Memorial (contaminates the stunning picture America sees whenever National TV is in town). #2 is vacant, crushed-ugly and not only mars the downtown skyline view from Liberty Memorial, but it also blocks Monorail access to Union Station from the East (Monorail Greenway along Grand Boulevard).   

Finally....a Mayor who will electrify Kansas City with his vision, capture its great potential and bring the highest and best reuse to our incomparable, underutilized and beloved "Monument to the People"....Union Station.

Ps: Unlike Lawyer Lucas, this Engineer - oriented Mayor will be on the ground overseeing these infrastructure improvement projects to make sure they are done correctly and efficiently.

A New Kind of Mayor... For...A New Kind of City
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You decide . . .