Parks department moves toward vendor negotiation for master plan; Barry Sanders family aiding fundraising for football complex

Parks staff told the board they are advancing to vendor negotiation on a citywide park master plan and expect the formal contract work to start in the September–October timeframe, with a 12–14 month planning process that will engage the park board and the Park Foundation. "We're hoping to have something finalized to, potentially, move forward starting in the September, October time frame, and we're looking at roughly 12 to 14 month in that process," Reggie, a Parks staff member, said. Staff said the plan will benchmark Wichita's investments against peer cities, evaluate facilities' condition and set realistic expectations for what the city can deliver given available funding. Staff also described a youth-football partnership with USD 259 that has doubled participation compared with the prior year. Reggie said the Parks Department is involving the Barry Sanders family in planning a Barry Sanders football complex at Doctor Glendaya Park; Barry Sanders senior is assisting fundraising outreach and the family has helped secure in-kind support and is pursuing donor contacts. Staff said a city delegation will visit Detroit in October to meet Lions ownership and the Ford Foundation as part of fundraising outreach. The Park Foundation will participate in master-plan engagement; staff said they are coordinating roles so the foundation can help identify priorities and potential fundraising targets. No formal agreement for the Barry Sanders complex was approved at the meeting; staff described the project as in fundraising and planning stages and said they will return with additional details as commitments are secured.