By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Great Bend’s downtown consumption district will soon be getting brighter
as the Great Bend City Council approved a painted mural for the walkway, or the
ground, of the alley.
Last August, the city council approved barricading a portion of Forest Avenue,
from Williams to Main, to provide live music, food and beverages on select
Friday nights. This past April, the Common Consumption Area was extended to the
alleyway between Forest and Lakin.
Great Bend Economic Development Director Sara Hayden said a community paint day
will be set for families to paint large shapes down the alleyway. The hope is
to inspire more art throughout the community.
"The paint would be rated for cars to drive over it," said Hayden. "It will have to be refreshed after three to four years. We would take up that maintenance to refresh the paint."
Through sponsorships and donors, Great Bend Alive, Inc. (under the GBED umbrella) will pay to have
L&M Contractors fill and patch the potholes in the alley before the
painting commences.
This spring the outdoor events took on the name “Final Fridays on Forest” and
run from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Citizens are allowed to order alcoholic drinks, buy
food, listen to music and enjoy entertainment while staying inside the consumption
district.