Great Bend-KS

9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4 The creation of an entertainment district has proven to be another successful endeavor. Arnberger elaborates, “Through the state, we registered a common consumption area. We call that Fridays on Forest.The last Friday of the month from April through October, we close down Forest Street and we allow alcohol and food vendors to come out, and we bring a live band. Our attendance at every event is anywhere from 400 to 600 people. It is a great example of how the community is so ready to get out and socialize. Putting Fridays on Forest in place gives the community an opportunity to do so.” This downtown revitalization effort has been increased with the presence of new businesses, including Dry Lake Brewing, which opened its doors in 2021 and continues to bring people to the city core to enjoy craft beer, and several different food trucks. Also located in the downtown area is Tellers 1872 steakhouse which opened at the end of 2022. Although COVID had its challenges, Arnberger acknowledges, “In a manufacturing heavy town, COVID heightened the demand for so many of our suppliers. Many manufacturers have undergone expansion and an infusion of capital investment in the millions of dollars range. So, it’s been very important for us to be able to support them as well and work closely with the state of Kansas to offer incentives to continue expansions of people and property.” The pandemic also highlighted the need for quality childcare, opening the conversation about it being a barrier to employment for many. This prompted a new organization to be formed called Advancing Barton County Childcare (ABCC) Inc. an initiative of Great Bend Economic Development. “We had enough of our employers come to us saying childcare is a barrier to recruit and retain employees, so we had to come up with a solution,” Arnberger said. “To that end, we’ve pulled together a board of public, private sector, school district, major employers, and childcare providers to be able to create a sustainable, quality childcare.” With the first facility currently under construction, she shares that the intention is to continue to build more of these facilities throughout Barton County. Recreation options abound in the city, which is home to Cheyenne Bottoms, the largest inland wetland marsh in the United States. This bird lover’s paradise covers 41,000 acres and is a stopover for 250,000 waterfowl during seasonal migrations. Drawing visitors from across the nation, the wildlife preserve is also a popular destination for camping and hunting. Other recreational opportunities include the many community parks throughout the city, including Brit Spaugh Park and Zoo, which will soon see an expansion. Currently, the park features a zoo where visitors can see large cats and other exotic creatures, an aquarium, and the Raptor