By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
One of the more popular events each year at Party in the Park in Great Bend is the mud volleyball tournament. The dirty, good time begins in the morning and brings 1,000 to 2,000 extra people to the outdoor festival each year in August.
After the City of Great Bend installed a $680,000 splash pad on the north side of Veterans Memorial Park last spring, there was concern of damaging the splash pad and its filters from muddy citizens. Great Bend Public Lands Director Scott Keeler said there was also the issue of the mud pits being an eyesore the rest of the year even when the city tried to reseed the area for grass.
"What we ran into was timing," said Keeler. "With Party in the Park being in August...with that area being heavy clay, by the time we get it drained down and level it, we're usually fighting the rains of September and October. We basically run out of time to plant warm-weather grass back in there. We've planted ryegrass a few times, but even the premium doesn't survive the winter and if it does survive the geese clean it off."
The mud volleyball tournament was moved to the fairgrounds last summer but along with receiving several complaints, city officials saw a significant drop in attendance for the festival at Vets Park. The Great Bend City Council discussed moving the tournament to the vacant Amber Meadows subdivision lots, just north of Vets Park. The council voted in favor of bringing back the mud volleyball to its original location, just west of the splash pad.
The city will install water irrigation and hydroseed the area following the tournament to make the area look better.
"I think it is doable," said Keeler. "Water is going to be the bigger issue and continuing to build it up instead of digging it down. We want to be able to break the walls, drain it down and put it back together."
Party in the Park is held the second Saturday in August and also includes a car show, wet/dry parade, inflatable water zones, entertainment and a concert.