WICHITA PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE PLAN PLAN UPDATE 2016 BUILDING WICHITA’S FUTURE Acknowledgements Mayor & Council Mayor Jeff Longwell District 1 Council Member Lavonta Williams District 2 Council Member Pete Meitzner District 3 Council Member James Clendenin District 4 Council Member Jeff Blubaugh District 5 Council Member Bryan Frye District 6 Council Member Janet Miller Park Board Ron Allen Chris Clark Cindy Claycomb Tori Deatherage, President Chris Highfill Hoyt Hillman Troy Palmer Project Team Troy Houtman, CPRE Director, Department of Park & Recreation Troy Hendricks, PGA Golf Course Manager, Department of Park & Recreation David McGuire, CPRP Park, Forestry & Maintenance Superintendent, Department of Park & Recreation Greg Olmer, CPRP Recreation Superintendent, Department of Park & Recreation Matt Townsend Management Analyst, Department of Park & Recreation MIG, Inc. www.migcom.com 2016 | Wichita Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan To all Wichitans, As the director of the Wichita Park and Recreation Department, I am proud to present the 2016 updated Parks, Recreation and Open Space master plan (PROS plan). This plan is an update from the 2008 PROS plan that provided us with valuable information and direction. Since 2008 our city has experienced several changes and fluctuations. We are not the same city we were just 8 years ago. Much of our infrastructure has changed and how we operate and do business has also changed. However; much of the interest and passion for parks and recreational activities has not changed! There still is a huge desire to meet the needs of the community and provide the best park & recreation services that we can offer. That is where our P&R Department comes in to play. We touch more people across the City of Wichita than any other organization by providing services for all ages, all areas of the City and all demographics. Our parks and recreation system is a reflection of the community and the community’s long held values that support parkland, green space, recreational activities, golf, fitness and wellness. Today’s system of urban parks, golf courses, pools, trails, plazas, recreation facilities and recreational programs is a major contributor to Wichita’s nationally acclaimed high quality of life and the result of the community support and investment. For over 100 years, the City of Wichita has promoted the community’s access to nature, parks and recreation. It is in this tradition that we are proud to submit the Wichita 2016 PROS plan. This plan presents the framework and policy that will assist and guide the department in the stewardship of our parks, recreation facilities and recreational programs. The master plan includes broad policies and initiatives that will help shape the services that the department will provide to the community over the next several years. The strategic direction is focused around six key themes that emerged from research and throughout the comprehensive community planning process: • Community Health and Wellness • Taking Care of What We Have • Financial Sustainability • Building Community and Relationships • Youth Engagement and Activity • Organizational Readiness The plan also includes an outline of measurements that will ensure that the initiatives of the plan become a reality. It is in the implementation of the plan that the community will see a parks and recreation department that is modern, results- driven and collaborative. Reshaping parks and recreation services will require the focused energy and commitment of the department, as well as support from the community. Available funding will be focused on the highest community priorities and, through the support and collaboration of the community, the complete set of desired facilities and services can be achieved. The Wichita PROS plan is the culmination of public outreach with community members, user groups, staff, Park and Recreation City Hall • 11th Floor • 455 N. Main • Wichita, Kansas 67202 T 316.268.4361 F 316.268.4447 www.wichita.gov experts in the field of Parks & Recreation and partners that help provide many of our community’s services. These conversations with the community will continue as we work together to accomplish the ambitious but necessary steps to ensure the parks and recreation system continues to enhance the lives of Wichitans. Sincerely, Troy Houtman, CPRE Director of Park & Recreation “To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream. Not only plan but also believe.” Anatole France Park and Recreation City Hall • 11th Floor • 455 N. Main • Wichita, Kansas 67202 T 316.268.4361 F 316.268.4447 www.wichita.gov Wichita Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan Chapters 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 2. Where Are We Now? ............................................................................................................ 9 3. Where Do We Want To Be? ............................................................................................. 27 4. Vision for Recreation Services ......................................................................................... 35 5. Vision for Park Land, Recreation Resources and Trails ............................................. 45 6. Vision for Park and Facility Maintenance ...................................................................... 83 7. Vision for Management Services..................................................................................... 95 8. Capital Projects ................................................................................................................. 105 Appendices A. Existing Park System Maps B. Park Inventory by Name C. Capital Project Costs D. Policy Actions E. Golf and Business Enterprise Plan F. 2016 Update Process Technical Supplement 2008 PROS Plan Technical Supplement (Under separate cover) includes details of the analysis and community input used to shape the initial direction of the PROS plan. 2016 | Wichita Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan 1. Introduction Background Over the past several years, the City of Wichita has continued to make major strides to maintain and improve community livability. Arkansas riverfront improvements complement the City’s signature riverfront park system. Old Town and the Farmer’s Market are vibrant resources and the Intrust Bank Arena is a major attraction that supports a growing tourist industry. The City’s many cultural and historic resources create a sense of place and provide a venue for cultural tourism, while adoption of the Project Downtown Master Plan has provided inspiration and guidance for the City center, ushering new private investment including commercial, residential and educational development. The City has also continued to work with surrounding communities to build a strong economy, attract businesses and tourists and retain residents—especially young creative professionals. Wichita’s parks, recreation opportunities and open spaces are a primary contributor to this energy and a key ingredient to community livability and quality of life. It is clear that parks and recreation is important to Wichita residents, with hundreds of residents expressing their support for parks and recreation. Since the initial plan the City has made modest investments in the park system, which includes approximately $55 million in capital improvements starting in 2015 and spread out over the next ten years. Though Wichita has some of the elements needed to become a great park and recreation system, new resources will be needed to meet future demand. Expansions and new parks are necessary to provide the quality of resources that Wichita residents expect in current and future growth areas. Despite fluctuations in the important aeronautics industry, Wichita has continued to grow, and approximately 101,000 more residents are projected to be added by 2035 based on an accelerated annual growth rate of 1.25% (Community Investments Plan 2015-2035). To accommodate this growth, remaining undeveloped land within the City will need to be developed, new efforts will be needed to promote infill development in the older, established areas of Wichita, and new development areas will need to be annexed into the City. The role of parks and recreation in newly developing areas must be determined or these opportunities will be forever lost. 2016 | Wichita Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan 1 Plan Revision Purpose This Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan represents a vision of parks, recreation, and open space “Please join us in creating a as central to building community, quality of life, and the better future for our city local economy in Wichita. It builds on the City’s long through adequate investment history of proactive park planning, and acknowledges the in parks and recreation.” high standards that have been set in the past. The 2016 PROS Plan integrates recent local and regional planning efforts to focus on the City’s central role in the region’s success. But most of all, this 2016 PROS Plan is a call to action that will guide operational and capital public investment in park and recreation assets, facilities and programs over the next ten years. This call to action will be done in consideration of the following five Plan Guiding Policy Principles identified in the new Wichita-Sedgwick County Community Investments Plan 2015-2035: 1. Support an Innovative, Vibrant and Diverse Economy; 2. Invest in the Quality of Our Community