Civil Municipal - June 2024

INNOVATIVE CHILDCARE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT A testament to Great Bend’s commitment to its residents is the opening of a new childcare center, addressing an issue that is prevalent in the state of Kansas.Arnberger touts,“As far as the positive impacts that it’s created so far, we’ve had so many letters, emails, etc., from people that are now considering Great Bend, or Barton County, that hadn’t before because we do have high-quality opportunities within childcare.” In June of 2024, the city will break ground on a second childcare facility, adding to the positive impact on the community. In addition, an Innovation Center will be in the works towards the end of the year, with a daycare component. “We’ve been very aggressive as far as the next phases of childcare and innovation in a rural community,” she portrays. The upcoming Innovation Center will feature a diverse array of facilities and resources, as Arnberger recounts,“When we looked at constructing this center, the concept was all about questioning what things people say that we can’t have in a rural community, and then overcoming that hurdle.” She describes a state-of-the-art Makerspace Lab, equipped with technology ranging from VR headsets and Smart AG drone training to advanced fabrication machinery. A commercial kitchen will support startup food businesses, while also offering a central kitchen for the childcare locations. Through a partnership with the local hospital, nutritional cooking classes will be available to residents, as well as food 68 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 06