By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Small communities sometimes need some help for the big projects. Ellinwood City Administrator Chris Komarek said a Downtown Pedestrian Access and Streetscape Improvement project would not have been possible without a large grant. That grant was approved on Oct. 6, and Ellinwood will receive just over $1 million from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) as part of a $1.46 million total grant.
Komarek applied for the grant in March and was surprised to receive the money, which was one of 32 pedestrian and bike transportation projects selected around the state, with $28.5 million in grants being allocated. With the grant, the city will replace all sidewalk, curb and gutter, and street lighting in the first two blocks of Main Street.
On Oct. 21, KDOT handed out $11 million as part of a cost-share program with cities and counties. The city of Ellinwood received just shy of $213,000 for improvements to sidewalks around the Ellinwood Underground Tunnels.
"It's all the property owner's responsibility," Komarek said. "It's on city property, but it's the business owner's responsibility to do that. Since it's also on our property, we applied for a grant to assist with this."
A couple of months ago, Wolf Hotel Owner Chris McCord began asking for donations to help cover costs for the construction. The goal, he said, is to make sure the historic underground tunnels remain an attraction for Ellinwood.
"I think they're paramount," he said. "There are a ton of people that come through to visit the tunnels. We're one of Kansas' Eight Wonders. It's just pivotal we preserve this area."
McCord said roughly $66,000 is needed for expenses. CLICK HERE to donate.