Latest news with #ReggieDavidson
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
L.W. Clapp Park reopens with inclusive playground, dog park
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — L.W. Clapp Memorial Park is officially open again after a major makeover. City leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday to celebrate new additions to the park, including an inclusive playground, a dog park, upgraded trails, and a public art installation. The playground is located at 4611 E. Harry St., while the dog park, on the Bluff Street side of the former golf course, will open soon following additional maintenance. Should Evergy raise costs for Kansas customers? 'It's fantastic. We've had the fencing around it for the last month or so. Kids have been chomping at the bit to have an opportunity to get on the playground, so we're glad to have it open for them to enjoy,' said Reggie Davidson, with Wichita Park & Recreation. The playground features accessible routes to swings and clubhouse areas, with surface materials designed to support mobility for individuals of all abilities. 'We have great portions over here that are accessible—you have for wheelchairs to actually get in the area where the swings are… on the backside where they can actually get into the clubhouse area,' Davidson said. 'The surface itself was designed so individuals with any ability can actually navigate on the park.' Heavy rainfall caused delays due to flooding under the safety surfacing and displaced ground cover. 'We had some challenges here earlier, and our park maintenance team came out and did a really fantastic job making sure we were able to open up the playground today,' Davidson said. The dog park remains closed as staff continue safety work. The city continues to inspect and repair other park facilities affected by recent weather. Davidson encouraged residents to check the city's website or app for updates. 'The best option to get those continued updates is to look on our website under the alerts section, and you can also download our app—it will send you notifications as well,' he said. Wichita Park & Recreation invites the public to visit the revitalized park and explore its new, inclusive offerings. 'We encourage everyone to come out and try out all the new features and elements and enjoy the playground,' Davidson said. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Gates going up around Sim Park for added security
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The City of Wichita plans to add additional safety measures around Sim Park. 'In October of 2024, the City of Wichita began enforcing street closures at the Sim Park area,' Reggie Davidson, Wichita Park and Recreation director, said. 'We previously had ongoing incidents that involved street racing as well as firearms being discharged in the area.' On Thursday, he announced that the City would soon add gates that close off all streets inside the park, including Murdock, Amidon and West Sim Park Drive. The gates will be closed each night at 9 p.m. and open at 6 a.m. 'We've seen some reduction in some of the activity, that we're trying to make sure we're being proactive to make the parks as safe as they can be for the community to actually enjoy them,' Davidson said. More downtown Wichita streets converting to 2-way next week He said the gates will be installed and signs will go up in June. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
