Wichita City Council approves $28 million Clapp Park redevelopment plan
The Wichita City Council approved a $28 million long-term plan to turn L.W. Clapp Golf Course into a destination park in southeast Wichita on Tuesday, giving contractors the go-ahead to begin work on the first of four phases for the redevelopment project.
The overall plan for Clapp Park envisions a two-story restaurant and an indoor-outdoor farmer’s market, both privately run. It would also include a bandshell and an “Aviation Hill” to watch planes fly overhead as they depart and return to McConnell Air Force Base.
The major features of the finished park are divided into three areas: a promenade at the center of the park, which will include most of the built features, surrounded by an athletic area with basketball courts, an area for active recreation for children and a neighborhood park.
The first $5 million of the project has been earmarked to build an indoor-outdoor pavilion, restrooms, a “destination” playground and a “watertainment” splash pad, said P.J. Novick, a principal in Confluence, the Kansas City consulting firm that the city contracted with for design services.
Novick said the splash pad will be a departure from the city’s other water features.
“There could be rocks, water running out of rocks, maybe a spring,” Novick said. “Now, maybe there’s a runnel that runs through so the kids could actually sit in there, or we’ve got a project that we just opened in Shawnee that they’re floating boats through the runnel. They’re making little old paper boats.
“It’s more interactive, it’s more creative. And it’s also, more importantly, something that when the water is not running, it still has some play value for those other eight months out of the year.”
The initial investment also pays for partial demolition, grading and utility extension to accommodate a new entry drive and parking lot.
Upon completion, the first phase is expected to cost $16.3 million and will include park and playground areas, a farmer’s market, walking trails, a prairie overlook and the plane-watching hill.
The second phase will include a “bistro area” for a two-story restaurant and an athletics plaza. Phase three calls for a dog park and disc golf course, and the fourth phase would include more traditional park and playground areas.
The city closed Clapp Golf Course in 2019 and it was converted to a disc golf course until construction begins. Confluence Design Group has estimated the total project cost at $28 million. No official timeline has been established for completion of the park.
“When I’m talking with my constituents and the people of District 3, Clapp Park is always among the top concerns — that we want to make sure that Clapp Park remains a viable and beautiful park and amenity,” said council member Jared Cerullo.
But Cerullo also stressed that the plan is subject to change.
“I want to reassure everyone that this is just a guide that we will use to help us in the future development of the park and that things could change over the next few years,” Cerullo said.
The first phase of the new park is expected to be completed in 2023 or 2024.
“It’s not going to take place overnight,” Cerullo said. “It’ll be many years in the making, but I certainly look forward to this master plan helping make Clapp Park into a beautiful amenity that we can all love and enjoy for many years.”
This story was originally published October 20, 2021 at 3:50 PM.