Print edition: 
The Urban League of Kansas is negotiating with the city of Wichita to use the recreation center at Osage Park to provide services for kids who are emotionally disturbed and to expand its housing services.
Chester Daniel, president and CEO of the Urban League of Kansas, said the center at 2121 W. 31st St. South offers a better environment than its current facilities to treat kids with social and psychological problems.
"We feel we can provide even better services if the environment is conducive to better treatment," he said. "It gives them an environment where they could better relate to others."
The Wichita City Council voted to close the center last year to cut costs. Low usage and availability of similar services nearby were cited as reasons.
The council would need to approve an agreement with the Urban League. The matter could go before the council at its second meeting next month, said Doug Kupper, the city's parks and recreation director.
The center once was a focal point in south Wichita for family reunions, wedding anniversary celebrations, square dances, Halloween parties, tennis matches, and programs for the young and old.
Daniel said kids who would use the center would come from different areas of Wichita.
"It gives them a chance to engage with others in a much better way, and it enhances their relationships at home as well as at school," he said.
Services at the center also would include workshops on parenting and life skills, such as financial literacy, first-time home buying, credit counseling, and foreclosure prevention, Daniel said.
