After the COVID pause, it’s time to start talking about Wichita’s riverfront again

In 2019 and early 2020, Wichita was beginning to move forward with public engagement around the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan. Then, a year ago this week, the pandemic put a halt to those discussions and closed off opportunities to build more dialogue with community stakeholders.

So, that begs the question: When are decisions to be made about what should happen to Century II and/or the old Central Branch Library? We believe that before any decisions should be considered, we must first restart the community conversation.

We are extremely encouraged by the thousands of Wichitans who made the effort to attend town hall events to learn more about potential plans and just as many who supported an effort to save the two structures on the riverfront. Now, as the city begins to emerge from COVID restrictions, we look forward to re-engaging with those individuals and hopefully many more to determine the future for these buildings.

We want to be crystal clear: No decisions have been made. In fact, no proposal has ever been officially presented to the City Council. Most importantly, the council has publicly pledged to hold an advisory election before the city determines any future use, demolition or sale of those properties.

Two weeks ago, we testified in Topeka against HB 2233, the proposed Municipal Historic Building Act. Our opposition to this legislation should not be interpreted as us giving a thumbs up or down support for the future of Century II or the old library. Rather, we oppose state-mandated legislation that would place onerous restrictions on elected Wichita leadership in managing those public assets, lower the bar for the public referendum process and undermine the principle of home rule.

We fully acknowledge that there are passionate, sometimes opposing views on the future of the riverfront and/or multiple structures on the east bank. Due to the pandemic, we also recognize that the business models for conventions, trade shows and performing arts venues are evolving. As our community reopens after a difficult year, it’s time to re-evaluate those needs and the amenities and facilities necessary for sustained success.

It’s also important to understand that the city has not abandoned these structures. The City Council approved $2.5 million over the next decade to ensure that maintenance and upgrades occur. We are reviewing proposals for professional management to maximize programming opportunities at Century II. The old library building is currently operating temporarily as a COVID vaccination center. Events are once again taking place in the convention center, and several shows are booked for the concert hall later this year. Unfortunately, that’s as far as we’ve been able to proceed. Without a clear plan for the future of these facilities, user groups and patrons will continue to wonder what should come next, if anything.

As of now, it’s too early to tell. Getting people to talk about the riverfront again is the first step. We are committed to working with community partners to seek out, engage with and listen to public opinion about a shared vision for the future. Wichitans deserve nothing less.

This story was originally published March 22, 2021 at 10:50 AM.