Memories Park to open Saturday at Sedgwick County Park
Bob Goebel has built a chair.
A big chair.
“It’s basically 6 feet wide, 10 feet long and 8 feet and 6 inches tall, built on an Adirondack chair frame,” Goebel said. “I sit in it and feel like a child.”
The chair – along with a hay wagon, a vintage truck and other items – will be part of Memories Park, a place families or individuals can go to shoot photos using the items as backdrops.
Memories Park – a gift from Together Wichita 2014 – will have its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. It is on the west side of Sedgwick County Park, 6501 W. 21st St. There will be photographers at the opening to help with family portraits.
Together Wichita 2014 is a community-wide initiative involving 22 local businesses and organizations that showcases the people and places that make Wichita special.
“I think this is a great city,” said Goebel, a retired executive vice president from Star Lumber’s retail division.
“What do I like here? You got a half a day to listen? We started our business with nothing. … This city has been good to us.”
Goebel also built five kiosks for the Together Wichita 2014 campaign. Each kiosk has a chalkboard and encourages people to write down what it is that makes Wichita special to them and take a selfie to share on social media.
The group also is responsible for the “I live here, I love it!” campaign and the Keepers on Parade project, which aims to place dozens of 10-foot fiberglass replicas of the Keeper of the Plains statue across Wichita.
“It’s all about getting people to think about this city in a positive way,” Goebel said.
Businesses participating in Together Wichita 2014 include:
Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C., CPAs and Advisors; Cox Machine; Dondlinger & Sons Construction; Intrust Bank; Newman University; Friends University; United Way of the Plains; The Wichita Eagle; Armstrong Chamberlin Strategic Marketing; Davis-Moore Automotive; Foulston Siefkin LLP; J.R. Custom Metal Products; Spirit AeroSystems; J.P. Weigand & Sons; Wichita State University; Berry Companies; Delta Dental of Kansas; High Touch Technologies; Meritrust Credit Union; Star Lumber and Supply; Westar Energy; and Yingling Aviation.
Reach Beccy Tanner at 316-268-6336 or btanner@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter: @beccytanner.
This story was originally published December 11, 2014 at 6:15 AM with the headline "Memories Park to open Saturday at Sedgwick County Park."