While there was understandably a great deal of interest this past week in the news that a new six-screen movie theater would be developed in downtown Great Bend, that was only one of the announcements of improvements planned for local projects.
There also were announcements about developments for the baseball complex and for one of the local lakes.
The Great Bend City Council approved a bid from Concrete Services for an entrance road into the Great Bend Sports Complex.
The road will run from McKinley to the parking area at the complex and the bid accepted was for $99,510.40, City Engineer Robert Winiecke told the council this past week.
The bid was accepted with Councilman Randy Myers voting in opposition.
Also this past week, the council authorized the city staff to seek a grant to improve the infrastructure at Stone Lake.
This would be an 80/20 grant with Kansas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.
The project would involve constructing a shelter, lighting and adding a restroom facility through the national scenic byways grant program.
Councilman Ken Roberts noted that the city had installed lights on the south side of the lake before, only to have them shot out by vandals.
Mayor Mike Allison commented that if the city and state and federal sources are going to invest in the park, there will need to be sufficient police patrols to insure that the facility is kept safe.
But the development would help make a major improvement to the popular fishing site.
Councilman Myers expressed his appreciation for the city staff seeking the investment so the park can develop. “I really appreciate it,” he said.
Assistant City Administrator Dawn Jaeger explained she will seek support from the Convention and Tourism Bureau and from the Scenic Byway Committee for the city’s application, as well as from Barton County.
“Members of the Scenic Byway Committee and the Convention and Tourism Bureau have indicated that they see value in this project. KDOT has indicated that they understand the tie-in to the byway and staff has been encouraged to apply,” according to the information from the city.