grantannouncement
WDDC Receives Knight Foundation Grant for Pop-Up Urban Park in "The Hole"
Grant opportunity will change perceptions and promote civic engagement

An eyesore in Downtown Wichita will be transformed into a community gathering space through a grant from the Knight Foundation Fund of the Wichita Community Foundation. In a recent news release, the Wichita Community Foundation announced three local grants promoting civic innovation and robust engagement in Wichita. The WDDC received one of these grants to construct a temporary pop-up park in "The Hole" on Douglas Avenue, Downtown Wichita's postcard avenue. 
Project Downtown: The Master Plan for Wichita continues to be an effective blueprint for development in Downtown Wichita. This grant provides the resources to transform and activate this prominent site in the core of our City and aligns with Project Downtown objectives by providing a creative, interim solution for the location until new development can take place. A news article published today in the Wichita Eagle, discusses the project with owners of "The Hole," local company Bokeh Development. Seeing this site improved will be both a psychological and physical transformation for the community.
theproject
Pop-Up Urban Park
New pop-up park will transform "The Hole" on Douglas

"The Hole" on Douglas (the site for the proposed Pop-Up Urban Park), located on the south side of Douglas Avenue between Main and Market, is currently not one of Downtown's most welcoming destinations. Before a development project comes to realization at the site, opportunity lies in activating the space to reenergize this area and change the community's perception regarding this site. 

Through the recent grant from the Knight Foundation Fund of the Wichita Community Foundation, a temporary Pop-Up Urban Park will be constructed along the Douglas Avenue frontage of this site, which will add vibrancy and give activity to the area. The project consists of filling in "The Hole," with excess fill material (soil) from the nearby development project on the Arkansas River - River Vista. After "The Hole" is filled and the Pop-Up Urban Park is complete, the site will come to life with the addition of colorful furnishings, planters with trees for shade and string lights for ambiance at night.

 

Transforming this site into a community gathering space will produce many opportunities for civic engagement. The proposed addition of food trucks at the site will provide an urban lunch setting for Downtown workers. The Pop-Up Urban Park will provide space for other programming opportunities such as bands/music and outdoor games if the completed project warrants it.
 
#DTWichita
Copyright Wichita Downtown Development Corporation© 2014. All Rights Reserved.