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Wichita
District 4 Newsletter
June 14, 2019

A Message from Vice Mayor Jeff Blubaugh...
A message from Vice Mayor Blubaugh ...
The City Council recently heard and approved the Wichita Aquatics Plan in which 6 swimming pools will be kept open and updated as well as installing 6 new splash pads. Below is a diagram of the Aley Park Swimming Pool, 1803 S Seneca, in District 4 that will not only stay open, but will receive close to $1 million in improvements.

The other swimming pools to remain open in Wichita will be College Hill, Harvest, McAdams, Minisa, and Orchard Park swimming pools. The 6 new splash pads will be located at Boston, Edgemoor, Evergreen, Harrison, Linwood, and Planeview Parks. Additionally, the operating hours of the swimming pools will be extended in order to allow more family time in the evenings. The pools will also be open on Sundays from noon to 6 pm, and will stay in operation from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

It became evident over the past few years the importance of neighborhood pools for our citizens, and so the Park and Recreation Department went back to the drawing board several times and gave multiple presentations to District Advisory Boards and neighborhood groups in order to get the feedback necessary to change scenarios before presenting it to the City Council on June 4. However, staff has been asked to come back to the City Council in order to blend some of the options to stay within the original budget and define better what each pool will be specifically receiving in the way of amenities.

I want to assure you that I am fighting for Aley Park updates and amenities as it is the only public pool in District 4 and one that is deserving for our hard-working residents.
And for those of you who just want to cool off or sit and let the toddlers play, don't forget the interactive water fountain at Osage Park, 2121 W 31 St S. This was one of the first parks to receive an interactive fountain and on a hot day there is nothing more fun than cooling off in this colorful play area.
DISTRICT 4 POLL: (deadline for the poll is June 26)
SHOULD WICHITA PUBLIC PARKS BE TOBACCO FREE?
Yes
No
The City should provide a smoking area in parks
District IV News & Events
Ready to play some pickleball?
The enthusiasm for pickleball is sweeping the city, and to help accommodate this growing sport, Seneca Park at 202 S Seneca (the Delano neighborhood) is now sporting 6 beautiful pickleball courts. I stopped by early one morning and caught a group of 4 players who couldn't say enough great things about this sport. These lovely grandmothers said that it's a sport they can play with their grandkids (5 and older) and that the pickleball community in Wichita has the nicest people ever! I think I will soon be shopping for a pickleball and racket of my own (shown below).
Don't forget to register for NNO...
Would you like to
know what is going on
in your district?
The next DAB 4 meeting is
July 1, 2019

The District 4 Advisory Board (DAB 4) meets the first Monday of the month at the Alford Branch Library, 3447 S Meridian, 6:30 pm.
For the 2019 meeting calendar,  click here .
To find DAB IV Agendas and Minutes,  click here.  
To see a listing of the District IV Home Owner Associations and neighborhood associations,   click here .
If you can't make it to the meeting, then watch LIVE on the Wichita District 4 Facebook page.  
LIVE ON WEBCAM
Are you interested in viewing the progress being made at the site of the new baseball stadium at Maple and Sycamore? J E Dunn Construction has set up a live webcam for your viewing pleasure.
You can access the webcam here, or get update reports here.
Stay tuned as the design concepts are still a work in progress.
A review of the Wichita's new stadium has been released by Baseball America that you can read by clicking on this link. It appears we are going to have a home run with the new stadium!
ROAD CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
DISTRICT 4 PROJECTS....

Work on west Kellogg between Maize Road and 119th St West continues where that pesky light at 111th St was removed. To access the businesses on this stretch of Kellogg, use the frontage roads on either side of Kellogg.

Also, be mindful of City trucks that are out and about patching potholes and sealing cracks.
Be mindful that McLean Blvd. will continue to be closed for a couple of more weeks while large water valves are replaced at McLean and Exposition. McLean is closed at Seneca (near the All America Indian Center) and to Meridian. It is suggested that drivers take Douglas Avenue or 2nd Street.
SAVE THE DATE FOR CONVOY OF HOPE - JULY 20 - 10 AM - 2 PM
Convoy of Hope serves the Wichita residents in need with free groceries, health and dental screenings, haircuts, family portraits,school supplies, meals and much more. Now at 2 locations. Click here to find out more or to volunteer at this incredible event.
Bethel Life Center and McAdams Park will both be hosting Convoy of Hope on the same day.
City News & Events
Save Water - $ave Money
The Water Rebate Program still has $74,483.25 in remaining funds. The Mayor reminded residents this week at the Mayor’s News Briefing to take advantage of the potential for savings, while also helping the community conserve water. Residents can visit SaveWichitaWater.com to download a 2019 Rebate Application Form, as well as view guides to purchasing eligible devices. Soon residents will have the ability to view live Water Rebate updates on the website, including the total amount of rebates approved and the amount of funding remaining.

2019 marks the seventh continuous year of the program. To date, rebates totaling $1,071,372 have been approved for more than 11,000 water-saving devices, for an estimated total water savings of 268 million gallons. 
As of May 31, the Water Rebate Program has already received and processed 255 applications. Of the applications received, roughly 80% have been approved, resulting in $25,516.75 in approved rebates. The approved devices include –
-        19 Washing Machines
-        95 Dishwashers
-        103 High Efficiency Toilets
-        15 Smart irrigation controllers
-        3 rain sensor/shut off controllers
-        29 rain barrels
Lab Girl is this year's Big Read Wichita
Geo/paleobiologist Hope Jahren’s memoir Lab Girl is a passionate, inspiring exploration of life – her life as a scientist, her life as a woman, the lives of the plants she studies. Alternately humorous, heartbreaking, reflective, and poetic, Lab Girl is beautifully written and illuminating. Jahren takes the reader through her cold Scandinavian upbringing in Minnesota and her refuge in studying science, to her struggle to obtain her own laboratory and gain acceptance from her colleagues. She chronicles her deep friendship with her unconventional lab partner, Bill, who accompanies her on all of her journeys (even when they end in car crashes or bold moves across the country); their witty, hilariously off-kilter banter is a perfect foil to the serious revelations of the book. Framed by lyrical passages about plants and the lessons they can teach us, Lab Girl is filled with wonder and insight.
The FREE Q-line now runs from
Edgemoor to the east and Seneca to the west
Police & Fire
WHERE ARE CRIMES
HAPPENING IN WICHITA?
Have you wondered why the Police are down the street, or in other neighborhoods? Just go to this link and enter the city's name and up pops the crimes you select in the side column drop-down menu. You can also find out if there are registered sex offenders nearby.
Be prepared and stay informed by knowing the current crime trends in your area.
Practice And Learn is our P.A.L.
In the 1980's Wichita Fire Lieutenant Zane Mevey recognized a need to introduce preschool and early grade school aged children to fire safety. His idea was a fun way for children to practice E.D.I.T.H. (exit drills in the home). It was called the P.A.L. box as in Practice and Learn.
The WFD considers fire safety education a primary goal. Local business's donated materials and firefighters designed and built boxes and props. The PAL box would be utilized during fire station tours to reinforce fire safety messages and to help prepare children and their families in case a fire would break out in the home.
The children would gather near the PAL box prop and listen to the explanation of a scenario; the children would then react to hearing the smoke detector from their bedroom, one at a time.
·         The firefighter would ask the children if they had smoke detectors in their house and if they tested them with their parents. The first child would then lay on the box (bed) and pretend to sleep. They are then awakened by the alarm.
·         Now they have to Get Low and Go. They roll out of bed and crawl beneath smoke to the door. The children are told the hazards of smoke.
·         Once they reach the door, they test the door for heat using the back of their hand.
·         If the door is ‘hot’ they then proceed to a secondary exit, in this case a window. Continuing to stay low until they are able to exit the room.
·         The children are told they need to have a meeting place outside of the home so that everyone in the family can be accounted for. When they are safely out of the house they are able to call 911, and under no circumstances do they go back into the house until an adult says it is safe to do so.
Many current firefighters still remember doing the PAL box as a child. Most Wichita Fire Department fire stations have PAL boxes available. The Wichita Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division has a trailer that is made to provide a more realistic experience. If you would like to schedule a station tour or information about the availability of the Community Risk Reduction trailer please contact the Wichita Fire Department at 268-4510.  
Library Events
Tour the Constellations
Thursday, June 19 , at 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Alford Branch Library, 3447 S Meridian

A constellation is a group of stars that forms an outline on the celestial sphere. Unlock the secrets of the night sky by learning about popular constellations and their history. Assemble your own constellation viewer to help you identify the real thing. For grades 6-12. 
Tanganyika: Nocturnal Animals
Thursday, June 20 , at 2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Alford Branch Library, 3447 S Meridian

When the sun goes down, nocturnal animals come out to play! During this live animal show, Tanganyika’s Education Department will introduce four fabulous nocturnal critters. At the end of the program, children will even get to pet one of them! For children ages 3-11.
Park & Recreation
June 29 in District 4
Osage Park Splash Party, 2121 W 31 St South, 1 - 3:30 pm
​ Beat the heat with water events such as an inflatable water slide, duck pond, relays and squirt gun games. Event ends with a big water gun/water balloon battle at 3 pm. Bring your own water guns for the battle. Water balloons provided. Event is free for all ages!



AND IN THE EVENING YOU CAN HEAD TO...
Dive-In Movie at Aley Park, 1803 S Seneca, 8:00 pm
​Kick back and relax at Aley Pool while watching Moana (Rated PG) on teh big screen under the stars! Doors open at 8 pm; movie starts at 8:30 pm.

Prices and Admission:
  • Ages 13+: $2 per person
  • Ages 3-12: $1 per person
  • Children 2 and under are free, but must remain within arms-length of an adult at all times.

Concessions will be sold and outside coolers may be brought in, but no alcohol, glass containers or non-plastic silverware will be allowed. Inner tubes will be provided and must be used when in the water. Feel free to bring a folding chair/blanket for the pool deck. Proper swimsuit attire is required to be in the pool.

For future movie titles or weather related updates, call (316) 268-4390.
Your Community
Boating on the Arkansas River
Have you ever wondered about the rules of the river in downtown Wichita? Hopefully the information below will answer your questions.

Non-motorized craft may operate within the area between the Lincoln Street Dam and the Amidon/Meridian Bridge. Do NOT proceed up river from the Amidon/Meridian Bridge. The area near the 21st Street Bridge is hazardous.
Non-motorized craft must stay 50 feet away from the "Falls Area" at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers.

What is not allowed:

  • No motorized watercraft (boats, jet-skies) is allowed on the river.
  • Riding on an elevated deck.
  • Riding or operating a boat on the Big Arkansas while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
  • Possessing or consuming any alcoholic liquor or cereal malt beverage on board any watercraft.
  • Placing buoys on the river without written permission from the City of Wichita, Department of Park and Recreation.
  • Throwing items from a boat or bridge.
  • Using the river during high water. Ramp will be closed.
  • Boat racing without special permit.
  • Using kites or parachutes.
YOUR JULY 4th DESTINATION
The Wichita Parks Foundation will host the 5th Annual Red, White & BOOM! on Thursday, July 4th from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. downtown on the KAKEland Lawn (in front of the Hyatt Regency), the Lewis Street Bridge, and Water Street. The event is being funded by the volunteer-led, non-profit Wichita Parks Foundation and our generous sponsors.  We are extraordinarily grateful that, once again, Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers returns as our Presenting Sponsor.
  • Food trucks will line Water Street in the Westar Energy Food Court, starting at 5:00.
  • A beer garden will be open all evening on the KAKEland Lawn, in front of the Hyatt Regency.
  • Local band, Groove 42, will perform a FREE concert on the Johnson Controls Stage, starting at 7:30. 
  • Capping a great evening will be the Red, White & BOOM! Fireworks over the Arkansas River, starting at 9:50 PM. Music accompanying the show can be heard throughout the festival area, as well as via simulcast on 103.7 KEYN.
For more information you can click HERE.
Community Services
The City of Wichita Community Services Booklet is a wonderful resource for all residents. You can discover what to do if street lights are out, pet licenses that might be required, how to obtain a garage sale permit, and so much more. You can click this link to download and view all 29 pages!
Stay up to date with the latest District IV and city-wide news, events, and resources!

Office of Community Services
(316) 268-4197
City Hall | 13th Floor | 455 N. Main Wichita, KS 67202

Have questions or concerns? Email Council Member Jeff Blubaugh or call
(316) 268-4331.