KSHB 41 reporter Caroline Hogan covers development across the Kansas City area. Share your story idea with Caroline.
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In late August, the city of Kansas City, Missouri, broke ground on a medley of renovations in the Chaumiere neighborhood, including new sidewalks, upgraded intersections, and more bus stops.
It's part of a $1 million plan; the money comes from Public Improvements Advisory Council and GO Funds.
Chaumiere, a neighborhood, north of the river in Kansas City, hasn't seen upgrades like these in years.
KCMO Councilman Crispin Rea helped bring this plan to life. He gave this statement to KSHB 41 about how the project is going:
"A large portion of the sidewalk, bus stops, and infrastructure has already been completed. The entire project should be finished by June. I will ensure that the promise of basic services made to these northland neighborhoods decades ago will be kept."
Today, there's a stretch of sidewalks going down NE Russell Road. It's a huge step for Steven Murphy and his wife, Cindy French. The new sidewalk is right across the street from their home.
"This past Halloween, we had 32 trick-or-treaters come out because we have a sidewalk, and their families feel safe to walk them up and down the street," French said.
"Feels more like a small town, like it 'oughta be, you know, like an actual neighborhood," Murphy said.
They're hoping these improvements also raise property value.
Murphy said the swift construction renewed his faith in his local government. He's lived in Chaumiere his whole life, and always felt overlooked.
"People talk about, 'Well, we’re going to do this or that,' and then nothing will happen," Murphy said. "Well, this is clear, physical evidence that somebody’s heard us."
As small as a sidewalk may seem, it's a path toward more development.
"Ok if you’ve done the sidewalk, what else can we do?" French said. "How else can we improve our little community here?"
More construction on the neighborhood begins in the spring.
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