TownTalk Winter weather is near
December 2013 • Issue 6
Lenexa Conference Center renamed as Thompson Barn
Winter weather preparations began this year with city employees participating in a snow “roadeo” to practice their snowplow maneuvering and technical skills. Lenexa also enlisted the help of Rosehill Elementary and Christa McAuliffe Elementary to paint a few of the snow plows with a bit of winter cheer. Now that temperatures have started to fall, our crews are ready for the first snow. When a snowstorm occurs, crews place the highest priority on major streets, school zones and known problem areas. Second priority is given to residential streets. The city’s goal is to have all public roadways plowed or treated within 48 hours after the end of a storm event. Storm severity, winds and temperatures can influence actual operations. After this time period, problems can be reported at www.lenexa.com or through the Lenexa 311 app available in the App and Google Play stores.
Snow Headquarters
This winter, Lenexa is rolling out its online snow resource center, www.lenexa.com/snow. Residents can log on to access information about how the city handles snow events and what residents can expect when it comes to plowing roads. Features available on the site include frequently asked questions, animated graphics, and links to resources where residents can find more information about regional road conditions and weather forecasts. The resource center will also be the location where updates will be posted during snow events this winter season.
Thompson Barn (formerly Lenexa Conference Center) is the perfect location for events, meetings and special occasions. Learn more about recent changes online.
A jewel of Lenexa’s past is getting back to its roots. In order to better reflect its rich Lenexa history, the Lenexa Conference Center has been renamed Thompson Barn. Located at 11184 Lackman Road, Thompson Barn is a hub of high-tech meetings, memorable events and social gatherings. It is part of the Lackman-Thompson estate, which was once home to Margaretha and William Lackman. They sold their property at the corner of Lackman Road and College Boulevard in 1908 to Kansas City horse dealer Frank Thompson. When the property’s original barn burned in a fire, Thompson rebuilt it as a state-ofthe-art barn in 1932. Around 1984, Thompson’s son, Hugh, bequeathed the house and barn to the Johnson County Community College Foundation. In 1996, the JCCC Foundation
offered the estate to the City of Lenexa for the city to put to good use. The original Lackman-Thompson house is now home to the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and Economic Development offices. The city preserved the barn’s historical character and turned the building, which once housed livestock and grain, into the Thompson Barn. In addition to changing the name, the City of Lenexa will be implementing a new rental fee structure beginning Jan. 1, which will give renters more flexibility in reserving times at Thompson Barn. Patrons can expect a highclass experience during their rental, which includes the latest in audio and visual integration – all included in the rental price.