By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
While the City of Great Bend has concentrated time and resources over
the past two years to organize improvements at Heizer Park, there are other groups
interested in sprucing up the Highway 281 By-Pass Park.
Often forgotten, the By-Pass Park along on the east side of town is nestled in
between the by-pass and Frey Street. Equipment at the park is limited to a few
swings, an old metal slide, basketball goal and an elephant-themed toddler’s
slide.
Members from the Great Bend Kiwanis Club spoke before the Great Bend Recreation
Commission Foundation Board on Monday to gauge their interest in financially
assisting in the park renovations.
Kiwanis member Suresh Maharjan said not much
has been done to the park in the last 40 years.
"We have to work with the city to get any work started," said Maharjan. "We've come up with a design. It's not fancy with all the bells and whistles, but it has the basics. It will have a nice look to it where kids can play and parents can hang out."
The Kiwanis Club has roughly $30,000 saved for the By-Pass Park project. The
Robert and Patricia Schmidt Foundation gifted Kiwanis $50,000 to assist with
the improvements.
Maharjan noted Kiwanis has the design finished for the improvements that would
include new playground equipment, a full basketball court, a walking storybook
path, bathrooms and improved parking.
"While we were meeting at the park, people were driving 40 miles per hour down Frey Street, and there is no stop sign," said Maharjan. "We thought about all aspects with kid security and parent security. People from different areas can park their car safely and play."
The Great Bend Public Library and Great Bend Rotary Club has also showed
interest in the project. The Kiwanis Club is looking to secure more funding to
potentially start the project this fall.
