Design work is beginning on a new community center for the Planeview neighborhood in south Wichita.
The City Council has approved a budget for a facility that will be constructed in Planeview Park. The city’s park and recreation director, Troy Houtman, said the preliminary design calls for a single-story, 18,500 square feet building that will have a full gymnasium, computer labs, fitness facilities, classrooms and offices. The budget for the facility will be $10 million with funding reallocated from other projects in the city’s Capital Improvement Program. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2025.
Houtman said the existing Colvin Neighborhood Resource Center, built in the 1970s, is not adequate for park and recreation programs and the programming needs of the city’s Office of Community Services. He said there’s a critical need for a facility that can provide a functional, safe and engaging environment for programs and activities. He said residents in Planeview have been asking for youth-targeted programming.
Vice Mayor Mike Hoheisel represents City Council District 3, which includes Planeview. He said the neighborhood has plenty of kids and families who need help and this new facility will be able to help them even more.
