Task force asks Topeka and Shawnee County for $400,000 to jump-start riverfront revival

Task force leaders presented a phased plan to develop Topeka’s Kansas Riverfront and asked Topeka City and Shawnee County for $200,000 per year from each jurisdiction for two years — $400,000 total — toward an estimated $1.3 million Phase 1 project that would remove decades‑old steel from the river, extend a trail, and reuse on‑site buildings for an education and rental hub.

The request came Monday during a joint meeting of Topeka city and Shawnee County officials. John Hunter, task force chair, said the group has secured “emergency approval to remove the steel” after work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and that removal is a top priority to make the river safe for boaters and kayakers. Hunter said the full permitting process for a new public boat ramp could still take about 18 months to two years.

The funding request is intended to cover early engineering, permitting and site work while the Riverfront Authority pursues private fundraising and foundation grants. “We’re making an ask of both the city and the county for a total of $400,000 — $200,000 per year over the next two years,” Hunter said. The task force proposes using the Greater Topeka Partnership Foundation as the fiscal agent and opening an account at Kaw Valley Bank to receive transfers and private donations.

Why it matters: task force leaders said opening the river could support recreation, education and economic development, including…