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For over 30 years, the popular Deanna RoseChildren’s Farmstead in south Overland Park has been a free attraction for all visitors. The facility was open to the public and funded entirely by private donations, a nonprofit supporter group and Overland Park tax money.
The Overland Park City Council voted 10 to 2 on Monday to approve a $2 admission fee, to be charged Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, beginning when the Farmstead opens for the season in April. The facility is open from April 1 to November 1 each year. Admission will still be free for children under 2. And families can buy season passes – $35 for Overland Park residents; $50 for non-residents.
Attendance at the Farmstead is close to 500,000 people each year – only a quarter of those visitors are Overland Park residents/taxpayers. The Kansas City Star article about the new fee indicated that the admission fee is largely an attempt to reign in attendance which was hitting 5,000 to 6,000 on Saturdays and was only slightly less on Sundays. (For comparison, the Star recently reported that the 200-acre Kansas City Zoo logged 540,000 visitors in 2009.)
The Farmstead began in 1978 as a small petting zoo/farm. It has grown amazingly over the years and is now a 12-acre park with farm animals, a fishing pond, hay rides, a dairy barn and many interactive activities for kids.
So, moms, dads, grandparents, caregivers, educators – what do you think about the new admission fee at Deanna Rose? Tell us in the comments below!
I’m not opposed to the fee. To be honest, I’ve always been amazed that admission was free to this amazing place! We are frequent visitors to the Farmstead–so we may cut down on weekend trips and try to go during the week a bit more.
I think it’s a reasonable admission cost for what they offer. Frankly, we usually donate what they’re now asking so it won’t be too much of a change for us. I wish the season pass for all Johnson Cty residents was a little less, but we’ll still be there!
I am not opposed to the admission either. They have made numerous improvements to the facility over the past few years. I am looking forward to seeing the new town completed this spring. $2 at the door is a pretty small price to pay for such a wonderful place!
Not a huge fee for something fun to do.
Like Kiran, I’ve always been amazed that it was free! It’s such a beautiful place, well maintained and fun. If a fee means they will be able to keep it going longer, or be able to add to it and update things along the way, then I totally agree with it! $2 is still an inexpensive way to enjoy the outdoors in summer.
$2 is more than reasonable. Although, I can’t say that we go there much anymore. Weekends get too crowded to really enjoy the place. We actually saw baby goats turning away from food this past summer from being over-fed. Good place, tho.
$2 is absolutely reasonable, I’ll pay it over and over again for all the farm has to offer. What an amazing attraction in the middle of the city.
I don’t have a problem with the fee. I do not agree with charging nonresidents $15 more for season passes. We live in the Northland and will end up paying that anyway in gas.
I think an admission fee should have been implemented a long time ago. This is such a wonderful park and our family has attended it several times over the past few years. Families can easily spend a full day with all the educational activities offered to the kids. What cheap entertainment! We can’t expect to have things provided to us free of charge – someone has to pay for it. And I’m really impressed with the staff donating their time and being so polite & friendly to the kids. Thumbs up!!
I still think it’s well worth the money. We always bring a picnic lunch and spend most of the day there when we go. We only go out about once or twice a year so it’s still cheap entertainment. My kids are getting older so we only have about 2 more years to go before they will feel like their 2 old for it.
I appreciate free admission to family events and patronize them as much as possible. It’s the only way my family has been able to do outings like outdoor parks and museums. It’s just not in our budget right now. I agree with the comment about the weekends being so crowded that you can’t enjoy the park. I see my family going during the week more instead. I don’t agree with the increase for non – Overland Park residents to have season passes. I live in Raytown and would have to fork over the extra $$$. I am thankful that the new admission fee is on the low side. It makes it more doable for the average family struggling in this economy.
I don’t mind paying $2. I drive over 60 miles each way to visit because my family loves it so much. I just hope they don’t get greedy in future years and raise the price to where families on low incomes can’t afford to go.
I think $2 is completely reasonable and well worth it. I take my son quite often since it is only 15 mins away. I typically go on weekdays anyways but still donate. Deanna Rose is so much fun for the kids. Think about it, $2 vs. $7 at Little Monkey Bizness… hmm and, you can pack your own lunch!
I am definately not against it. I live in Lawrence and when we take our family and granddaughter to the farm on a weekend day we donate more than that anyway and still will continue to. It is a happy, relaxing yet exciting place to be for people of all ages. My husband and I took our granddaughter to the Night of the Living farm and absolutely loved it. They don’t have that in Lawrence so we cherish the farm. We were raised on farms and want our grown children and grandchild to have a feel of it as well.
It’s definitely worth it. The fee is reasonable and the place offers so much learning and fun! People should be paying for it in order to maintain it now and in the future.
I’m not opposed to the fee, but I wonder if they will actually get less because many people have commented that they usually donate more than that. Will people still donate the extra they have been giving if they pay admission? I don’t know.