April 27, 2018 – Brooke Baxter had a smile that drew people to her. It was what she was known for; that, and her generosity, and ability to connect with people, no matter what their walk in life.
“She befriended classmates and did not judge them for who they were or were not,” said Brooke’s mother Carol Baxter. “She supported the underdog.”
Brooke died in a tragic car accident at the age of 16. A pocket park to honor her memory is in the works, and the Downtown Excelsior Project is currently taking bids for the project. Dedicating the park to Brooke’s memory was the idea of local attorney Tim Tipton, who owns the little piece of land to be converted. He also coached Brooke in softball.
Brooke Baxter was known for her beautiful smile.
“When I approached Tim about using his green space for a pocket park, he said he had some conditions,” DEP director and Brooke’s sister Lyndsey Baxter explained. “One of his conditions was that it would be dedicated to Brooke’s memory.”
Lyndsey remembers how once, her little sister saw another kid walking along the side of the road. Brooke pulled over and picked the young person up, and when she learned that she had no clothes, brought her home and let her raid her own closet. She was the type of young woman who gave people the actual clothes off her back.
At Brooke’s funeral, Lyndsey was approached by a classmate of Brooke’s, covered in sweat, because he had walked so far to be there.
“Brooke was the only one who ever talked to me,” he told Lyndsey. It’s something that has stayed with her. As sisters, they often drove each other crazy, Lyndsey explained, although they loved each other dearly. Seeing Brooke through other’s eyes is always meaningful and telling.
“She was my sister, but she was also this other amazing person,” Lyndsey said. “She was just…awesome.”
“I hope that angel in heaven, Brooke, looks down on us and sees that we continue to keep her memory alive,” said Carol.
DEP is accepting landscaping bids in response to a Request for Proposal to develop the Brooke Baxter Pocket Park in downtown Excelsior Springs.
DEP’s goal for developing a pocket park in this area is to further beautify downtown Excelsior Springs and specifically create a visual enhancement on Thompson Ave.
The objective of this Request for Proposal is to locate a source that will provide the best overall value to the DEP. While price is a significant factor, other criteria will form the basis of their award decision, as more fully described in the Evaluation Factors section of the RFP.
DEP encourages all landscape development companies to complete and proposal and submit it to DEP Executive Director, Lyndsey M. Baxter, on or before June 15, 2018. Expectations and limitations on the development are included in the full RFP which is downloadable at VisitExcelsior.com. All companies are encouraged to bring their creativity to the table. For more on the project or to make a donation, click here.