Lived in Kansas City Missouri from 1977 to 2001, learned a lot while I was there. Flew back for a visit in 2007, hoping to visit again soon. Stayed a block up the hill from the Country Club Plaza. Some steep streets are hazardous during snow and ice. Lived in a mobile home park on the east side of town along US40, close to the sports complex.
Even today the Kansas City Missouri bus system is nothing to write home about. You can live without a car between downtown and the Country Club Plaza. I lived without a car for some time in my early years living there. Had to walk at least five blocks to a bus stop when living in my South Kansas City house.
The city operated a public express bus from downtown to KCI airport, over 20 miles northwest of downtown in Platte County. The old municipal airport is across the Missouri River from downtown Kansas City, now used by private aircraft.
Sold my mobile home on the east side of town and bought a house in South Kansas City, down in steep McGee Street in a section nicknamed the dog patch. Had a huge double lot with an inclined gravel driveway along the south side of the house , which made driving in and out during snowy days a bit of a pain. Should have never bought the house if I would have known this. In any case, lived there in Kansas City Missouri for about 15 years. Not only were the streets narrow and inclined, but there was no sidewalk and the sides of the street would drop off either on one or both sides.
There are several large beautiful parks south of the Missouri River. Blue Valley Park, Penn Valley Park, Swope Park, Loose Park is just south of the Country Club Plaza, up on a hill. Rosedale Park is in Kansas City Kansas, still close to the Country Club Plaza.