The Visionaries Behind Overland Park’s Green Space Legacy
It is difficult to imagine Overland Park without its lush fairways, sprawling soccer fields, or the beloved Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. Yet, without the foresight of two remarkable City Council members—Ben Sykes and Wendell Lady—these community staples might never have existed.
In the late 1960s, Sykes (a Democrat) and Lady (a Republican) reached across the aisle to champion a vision of green space that would serve residents for generations to come. Lady served as the City’s first Parks and Recreation Committee Chairman, with Sykes succeeding him. Together, they laid the groundwork for a parks system designed to grow alongside the city’s booming population.
Their first major hurdle came in 1967. While a bond issue for parks and pools passed easily, the proposal for the city’s first golf course was a nail-biter. Thanks to the vigorous campaigning of both men, the measure passed by a razor-thin margin of just 80 votes. That victory established the Overland Park Golf Course in 1971.
That same year, another pivotal opportunity arose. Larry Flatt, the Parks Director, identified 280 acres along 135th Street available for $1 million. By then, Lady had moved to the Kansas House of Representatives, but he used his position on the State Park Authority Board to help secure a crucial Land Water and Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant, cutting the acquisition cost in half. Even with the funding, it was a tough sell. Sykes, now the Parks Committee Chair, used every ounce of his salesmanship to convince the Council. The purchase was approved by a single vote.
Today, that hard-won land is home to the St. Andrews Golf Course, the Skate Park, Community Park, the Soccer Complex, and the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. Ben Sykes passed away in 1988, and Wendell Lady in 2022, but their legacy remains alive in every acre of green space enjoyed by the citizens of Overland Park.