By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Great Bend City Council spent nearly an hour and a half Tuesday evening hashing over the 10-year, master plan for the quality of life projects. The early estimates showed the .15% quality of life sales tax should generate $567,000 to be divvied up among several projects.
One of the city’s main focuses this year is completing an overhaul of the south side of Brit Spaugh Park, just south of the zoo. The city wants to move forward with constructing an outdoor basketball court, four pickleball courts, two mini soccer pitches, playground and a restroom facility.
Great Bend Interim City
Administrator Logan Burns said the approximate $2 million project could
partially use private donations.
"Sounds like the money is out there," said Burns. "People want to help with this just to see it through. I think you have to do this project as turnkey. I don't think you can phase it in. That's where the private donations would come in very handy. I just think if you start phasing it in, that's not what you're after at the end of the day."
The quality of life sales tax master plan calls for $725,000 to be set aside for the Brit Spaugh Park project. The Great Bend Recreation Commission will be contributing $343,700 for the playground equipment. The Harms Trust will add $60,000 for the basketball court.
Great Bend Rec Executive Director Chris Umphres said the mini soccer
pitches are features the Rec has been wanting to bring to town for a few years.
"It's a full on kit," said Umphres. "We pour the concrete pad, and the contractor puts the color to it. The fencing and all that stuff...it's basically a big puzzle that they put together. It's locked in. It's set for outdoor soccer. If you've seen the City Auditorium when we do indoor soccer, with walls kind of hockey style, now they have one for outdoor."
The horseshoe pits will be moved to a section just north of the Kansas National Guard Armory. The project would take out the small baseball field and old BMX track location.
Burns said he will get with the engineer to obtain detailed drawings to get the
project out for bids and come back to the council with the final cost.
