Wichita Opens Expanded Riverfront Park Along the Arkansas River
A years-long project to reconnect Wichita with the Arkansas River reached a milestone with the opening of a new riverfront park and pedestrian bridge.
Wichita celebrated the opening of an expanded riverfront park this week, the latest phase of a long effort to reconnect the state's largest city with the Arkansas River that runs through its downtown.
The project added walking and cycling paths, a pedestrian bridge, event lawns, and improved access to the water for kayaks and canoes. City leaders framed it as both a quality-of-life investment and an economic one, hoping the greenway will draw residents and visitors to nearby restaurants and shops.
"For a long time we turned our back on the river. This turns us to face it again," the mayor said at a ribbon-cutting attended by hundreds. Adjacent development, including apartments and a boutique hotel, is already underway.
Future phases would extend the trail network north and south along the river's banks.
