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Work on city projects progressing
Justice Center, splash pad, skate park moving along
skate park
The ramps for the Great Bend skate park sit in a parking lot as work continues to pour new concrete for the facility, located in Brit Spaugh Park.

From the new Great Bend Justice Center to a new splash pad to the skate park, there is a lot going on in the city, said Interim City Administrator Logan Burns, updating the City Council Monday night on the progress of several projects

• With the Justice Center, Burns said work on the interior, including taping and mudding, and the hanging of sheetrock is continuing. On the outside, the exterior insulation finishing system (EIFS) is being installed and the exterior colors are becoming evident, he said.

Also, glass is being installed and site work is going to begin in the coming weeks. 

“So, looking forward to that,” he said of the continuing efforts as the structure takes shape. 

Ground was broken for the nearly $9 million, 20,000-square-foot facility on Sept. 12, 2022. The project should be completed by the end of August.

The building will house the Police Station and Municipal Court.

Wichita construction firm McCown-Gordan is the project manager. GLMV Architecture of Wichita was selected as the architect.

• “We are moving forward with starting drawings for the splash pad,” he said. The city is eying the $650,000 project for the north side of Veterans Memorial Park.

Once they get a design, he will bring it to the council for approval.

“We will be looking to have that open for Memorial Day 2024 right now,” he said. There’s an outside chance that they can get the pad started towards the end of this year.

The work is part of the 10-year Quality of Life Master Plan that includes a myriad of projects funded by the .15% Quality of Life sales tax approved by voters in November 2021.

• With the skate park at Brit Spaugh Park, Stone Sand Company is finishing up the removal of the old concrete in preparation for Sharkey Construction to pour the new concrete, Burns said.  

This is a $100,000 project that was also a part of the QOL master plan. The scheduled completion date is June 1.

The skate park was resurfaced in the late 1990s, replacing tennis courts constructed in the 1970s. The skate park, located immediately west of the Wetlands at Brit Spaugh, was the first project suggested by the city’s Youth Academy.