Wichita poised to create new park after residents reject housing development. Here’s where

A proposal to create a public park overlooking the Arkansas River in Delano has been approved by the Wichita City Council.

The parcels of vacant city land spanning McLean from Vine to Fern will temporarily be dubbed “Poem Park” until a permanent name is recognized.

The council voted in September 2021 to sell the land, which the city has owned since the mid-1990s, but roughly 45 residents voiced opposition when developers asked for the property to be rezoned for multi-family residential use. The sale was ultimately canceled.

At a District 6 Advisory Board meeting, residents overwhelmingly favored preserving the property as green space and protecting its roughly 50 mature shade trees. The city park board voted on June 12 to recommend designating the property as a park. The council voted unanimously on Tuesday to do so.

According to the staff report, the only costs associated with the new park would be continued maintenance and the installation of new signs, both of which would be paid for out of the parks department’s operating budget.

This story was originally published July 10, 2023 at 3:20 PM.