New playground for kids of all abilities opens in south Wichita
The city of Wichita opened its first accessible playground on Wednesday, marking the first of a series of planned improvements to L.W. Clapp Memorial Park.
At a ribbon-cutting late Wednesday morning, city leaders celebrated the opening of the playground and the installation of a piece of public art.
'This space is designated so that children of all abilities can play together side by side,' Reggie Davidson, Wichita Park and Recreation director, said. 'It's a place where everyone feels welcome, where every child belongs.'
The art, a sculpture titled Voxel Clouds, was created by Brooklyn-based artist Osman Akan. Made up of steel and glass boxes, it is inspired by the video game Minecraft and by playgrounds of earlier decades, said Sonia Greteman, chair and creative director of the Greteman Group, a Wichita-based public arts consultant group that worked with the city.
A dog park located on the other end of the park, which was supposed to open at the same time, remains closed to the public. It is littered with debris following flooding on Tuesday but city leaders said that after some cleanup, it will also open for use. Megan Lovely, the city's communications manager, said Wednesday afternoon that there is not yet an estimate for when it will open.
The playground, dog park, sculpture and improved trails make up an initial phase of the city's upgrades to the park. The Wichita City Council approved the full scale $28 million plan in 2021. It includes restaurant and farmer's market spaces, a bandshell and an 'aviation hill' for spectators to watch planes flying to and from McConnell Air Force Base.
This phase of the improvements cost about $6 million, according to the city's Capital Improvement Program.
Clapp Park, formerly a golf course, is west of Oliver between Harry and Mount Vernon. Local residents and City Council member Mike Hoheisel, who represents District 3, where the park is located, said the area needed a safe place for kids to play.
Jerry McGrew, a member of the District 3 advisory board who has lived across the street from the park for 25 years, said it was important to residents that the park remain a green space amid the improvements.
'This is what we need,' McGrew, a self-proclaimed 'nature lover,' said.
McGrew said the area is 'a metropolis, all concrete and street lights.'
'But this is right in the middle of the city,' he said, praising the park's walking trails. 'It's comfortable, it's safe.'
David Collier, another local resident, said he's excited to take his dog to the park when the dog park opens.
'I won't have to go all the way to a different dog park to have my dog enjoy the open spaces safely,' Collier said.
Hoheisel said that part of the planning process involved consulting students at nearby Griffith and Colvin elementary schools.
'That's always great to bring the kids and the youth in and let them have some say in their playgrounds as well,' he said. 'Childhood is something we only get to experience once, and it is a fleeting experience. The memories made help develop us into who we become and what we give back to society as a whole. And every child should get a chance to enjoy being a child, especially when it comes to access to safe places to play.'
Hoheisel said the city aims to increase the amount of accessible spaces for children, like the new playground. Previously, the only ADA-compliant playground in the area was at Sedgwick County Park.
'A parent on the south, north or east side shouldn't have to load up their child and drive over to the west side at Sedgwick County Park just so their child can play,' Hoheisel said. 'We're continuing to work on increasing accessibility to all residents in all areas, but it's appropriate that we celebrate the steps we make.'
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