Blue Valley Recreation is honored to be a host for one of the 2024 Parade of Hearts sculptures. The public art experience celebrates our diversity, unites communities, and supports nonprofits by placing beautifully designed hearts by local artists throughout the Kansas City region. From April to August of 2024, 101 hearts will be placed across the Kansas City region showing the world why the are is known as America’s Heartland with the biggest hearts. Each sculpture is 5 feet high and designed by local artists and will remain up until mid-August.
The piece located at the Blue Valley Rec Sports Complex is one of six heart locations in Overland Park and hosts the heart titled Fountains in the Outfield as it pays tribute to baseball in Kansas City and the memories created through moments and experiences while at the ballpark. From the outfield fountains to enjoying a game under the lights on a warm summer evening, fans can relive to those memories when visiting the heart. The design is two-sided and located where fans can easily get photos of both sides of the heart.
The heart, sponsored by Garmin, was created by Tomah Mackey (IG: @designbytomah). You can view his video here.
BVRC has one of six hearts hosted in Overland Park: Price Chopper on 151st Street, McCarthy Honda on Metcalf, Jewish Community Center on 115th Street, LongHouse at OP Arboretum & Botanical Gardens on 197th Street, and University of Kansas Health System Indiana Creek on Nall.
The public can download an app that lists the location of every heart and allows everyone to check in at that heart. The app also gives information about the artists and their vision for each of their works of art.