Great Bend Economic Development Executive Director Sara Arnberger revealed the location of the future Innovation Center and shared an artist’s rendering of how it may appear at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting.
The Innovation Center will be at the Farmers Plaza Lane, just off 10th and K-96 next to the new Bright Beginnings daycare center. The groundbreaking for this $7 million project will take place later this year with plans to complete the facility by the end of 2025.
“This place is going to be accessible to the whole community,” Arnberger said. “We’re very proud to be able to bring it to Great Bend.”
Arnberger said Great Bend Economic Development has secured more grant money for the project. It recently received $394,000 from the Patterson Foundation and hopes to announce another $300,000 grant soon.
She also said Bright Beginnings has secured certification from the Department of Children and Families, making it eligible for the DCF Child Care subsidy program that helps eligible families pay for childcare costs.
Common Consumption Area at The Landing and beyond
The Common Consumption Area (CCA) Committee that helped create the Great Bend Alive venue on Forest Avenue wants to expand the area to include The Landing, located at the corners of Forest and Williams. The Great Bend City Council considered an ordinance that would make that possible but tabled the item after an amendment was suggested. CCAs are granted authorization for the possession and consumption of alcoholic liquor and cereal malt beverages, with restrictions.
In 2021, this group was granted the CCA for Forest Ave. from the west side of Main Street to the east side of Williams Street. That area is closed to traffic during Final Fridays on Forest. Tables and chairs are set up in the street and vendors are allowed to sell food and alcohol as people enjoy free entertainment. The CCA ordinance expires in 2026.
“With The Landing being completed, we know we wanted to extend it,” Great Bend Economic Development Executive Director Sara Arnberger said.
The Landing is just outside of the consumption area. Arnberger said the committee is bringing forth a new proposed ordinance to cover a larger area over several blocks:
• Forest Ave. between Willams and Main, including the sidewalks and alleyways;
• The crosswalk across Williams along the south side of Forest Ave. (to The Landing);
• Half of the block that includes The Landing;
• Lakin Ave. between Williams and Main
• 12th Street between Williams and Main
Arnberger said the committee would not ask to use all of the area all of the time. “This gives us flexibility into the future,” she said.
She said council members might want to check out the city of Pittsburg, Kansas, which has made its entire downtown a CCA.
The Great Bend Downtown CCA Committee consists of the city administrator, assistant city administrator, city clerk, chief of police, director of public works, and the Convention and Tourism director.
Council Cory Urban asked if the CCA Committee would need to go to the City Council to close streets and public parking lots in the proposed areas. He was told no, decisions would come through the committee.
“I would like the mayor and a council member added to the committee,” Urban said.
Arnberger said she was not opposed to that.
City Attorney Allen Glendenning said making that change would require a different ordinance than the one before the City Council that night, which is why the council voted 6-1 to table the item. Councilman Alan Moeder voted “no.” Councilwoman Jolene Biggs was absent.
