In January 2025, a severe winter storm dropped more than eight inches of snow and ice on Crestwood. While roads across the region were a mess, our Public Works and Parks teams worked around the clock for a week to plow and treat nearly 100 lane-miles of pavement.
Social media overflowed with appreciation—one comment captured it best: “So glad to be a Crestwood resident!” That sentiment reflects the gratitude and shared values that define our city: service, caring, and listening. Those values, paired with hard work, drove meaningful progress throughout 2025. Let’s take a look back at some highlights.
Parks & Recreation
One of the year’s biggest milestones was the groundbreaking of our new community center, The Cliffs at Whitecliff Park. With foundations poured and structural steel rising, its shape is now taking form—an exciting sign of progress.
Parks also saw major improvements. After extensive community input, the new Crestwood Park playground opened in spring and quickly became a family favorite. We added parking and restrooms at the Whitecliff quarry area and launched the multi-year Back to Nature habitat restoration at Crestwood Park—thoughtful stewardship that will benefit residents and wildlife for years to come.
Recreation programs brought fresh energy in 2025, offering fun for all ages. From splash-filled excitement at the Aquatic Center’s Splashtacular and Christmas in July to community favorites like the updated SunCrest Fest, Touch-a-Truck, and Movies and Concerts in the Park, these events created memorable moments and brought our community together in meaningful ways.
Community Involvement
Residents played an active role in community initiatives throughout the year, supporting honeysuckle removal, creek cleanups, garden restorations, and food donation drives. In May, our Public Works team extended that spirit of service by providing mutual aid assistance to neighboring communities following the May 16 tornado.
Police and Fire continued strong outreach through programs such as Crestwood Night Out, DARE, Cops and Bobbers, Movies in the Firehouse, Fire Prevention Day, and smoke alarm installations.
Your engagement helped guide our work and keep us focused. In 2025, we strengthened communication with expanded social media updates, new e-newsletters, and video outreach—tools that build stronger connections and improve transparency.
City Operations
Crestwood realized more than $5 million in new direct gains last year through intergovernmental agreements, grants, and careful resource management. These dollars reduce local costs, support major projects, and strengthen our long-term financial position.
The resident-led Charter Review Commission completed its work and presented proposed updates to improve efficiency and clarity in city operations. These recommendations will appear on the April ballot—stay tuned for more information to ensure all residents are well informed.
As we begin 2026, I’m confident we’ll continue to say: So glad to be a Crestwood resident!
Mayor Scott Shipley
sshipley@cityofcrestwood.org