Downtown Wichita development corporation makes its case for paid parking | Opinion

Businesses in Wichita have a proven track record of coming together to navigate challenges and opportunities that require change.

We have always innovated and strived for excellence in business. And, as we look to the future, our growing and dynamic downtown needs us to apply that same entrepreneurial spirit toward downtown’s success.

We saw this with the indoor smoking ban, which some businesses worried would drive customers away from bars and restaurants. Today, families with young children, elderly couples and everyone in between come downtown to enjoy smoke-free indoor dining.

We weathered the reconstruction of Naftzger Park and the surrounding block, despite concerns over how it might change downtown’s central park. Today, Naftzger Park hosts countless events year-round, from the summer concert series to Chiefs’ game-day viewing parties and the NCAA Fanfest coming again next year.

It’s a safe, clean place for Wichitans to get outside and enjoy the community.

Together, we’re navigating the current road reconstruction. Today’s torn-up streets will be tomorrow’s smooth two-way corridors. The temporary pain of rerouting our commutes means we’ll have a greater connection in our downtown grid — we won’t have to circle the block if we make one wrong turn, and future construction projects won’t shut down the whole district.

We know this dynamic area of our city is booming. Since 2010, downtown has experienced $1.7 billion in completed projects, with $760 million more in the pipeline.

The downtown Wichita Biomedical Campus alone will bring 3,000 new students and 1,700 new jobs to downtown Wichita. Downtown is adding hundreds of new apartments. Exploration Place’s new Destination Playscape is expected to attract one million visitors annually.

To meet the needs of the future, our community has been presented with an opportunity to move from an inequitable parking system to a true, cohesive parking plan for Delano and downtown, including Old Town.

While businesses may have differing opinions on the plans, one thing we can all agree on is that customers want clean and safe parking.

No matter where a business is located, customers don’t want to walk through broken glass or pass people sleeping in stairwells to get from their car to the business. Parking that’s clean and safe is good for business.

Right now, our public parking in Wichita’s core neighborhoods isn’t being cared for because fees do not support the needs.

Parking lots have litter and overgrown weeds. Parking garages have piles of human waste and foul odors.

Street parking has a mix of old meters and no meters, signs and no signs. It’s inconsistent, confusing and embarrassing for our hotels, shops, restaurants and offices.

It sends the wrong message and looks like no one cares.

BUT WE DO.

As a community, we can do better. We need to do better.

Let’s come together, like we always have, to fix the problem and support a solution.

Our clients and customers deserve that.

This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 5:00 AM.