The City of Great Bend invites the community to the much-anticipated ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for the state-of-the-art Great Bend Justice Center, located at 1121 Baker Avenue. The event will take place on Friday, Oct. 20, beginning at 10 a.m., with remarks to commence outside the newly constructed facility. The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce is hosting the ribbon cutting celebration.
This moment marks the culmination of the collaborative efforts of the community and the work of city officials. The Justice Center not only represents a significant investment in the community's safety and well-being but also symbolizes a commitment to improved workplace environment allowing the City to retain and recruit the best for Great Bend.
The event itinerary includes the following highlights:
- 10:00am: Commencement of the ribbon cutting ceremony and inaugural remarks at the Great Bend Justice Center with Great Bend Chamber of Commerce President Megan Barfield, Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson, Police Chief Steve Haulmark, and Mayor Cody Schmidt.
- Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, attendees will have the opportunity for guided tours of the facility and enjoy refreshments, allowing an up-close look at the new 20,000-square-foot Great Bend Justice Center, which houses the police department and municipal court.
The new municipal court room will be dedicated at a later date and time to retired city attorney Bob Suelter in honor of his 42 years of service to the City of Great Bend. Suelter retired in November 2021 as the City Attorney.
The groundbreaking for the $9 million project took place on Sept. 12, 2022, and was spearheaded by Wichita construction firm McCown Gordon, with the GLMV Architecture of Wichita serving as the project's architect.