Press Releases
7/2/19 - Riverfront Legacy Master Plan group outlines proposed process and date for first public meeting
With a goal to make the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan one that reflects the vision of the community, organizers are in the process of identifying what will be needed for a successful comprehensive planning process, including ideas for four public gatherings designed to open up the conversation about the future.
The proposed timeline includes a July 31 date for the first public meeting.
A team from Populous, the international architecture and urban design group expected to lead the effort based on previous work in the riverfront area, will offer a brief presentation. An open house format with members of the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan Coalition, as well as the plan’s advisors, attending is anticipated, with time for questions and answers and interactions designed to stimulate conversations about the future of the site.
The goal of the plan itself is to create a comprehensive vision and master plan for future development on the east bank of the Arkansas River, with a focus on the area south of Douglas Avenue to US-54/Kellogg and east to Main Street. The plan will consider all elements together, including a performing arts center, convention center, Century II, the former library, pedestrian bridge and open riverfront gathering space, as well as connecting elements from Kellogg to Douglas, west bank development, downtown and area neighborhoods.
“This is the first step of what will be a dynamic vision not just for the heart of our city, but for the entire economic region,” said Michael Monteferrante, Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Board chair and member of the privately-led coalition.
Lead organizations in the coalition are Downtown Wichita, Greater Wichita Partnership, Visit Wichita, Wichita Community Foundation and Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, working together through the regional vision and action plan Project Wichita. These private-sector organizations will work closely with public partners City of Wichita and Sedgwick County.
For the past six weeks, members of the coalition have drafted the scope of the work, including how this plan will build on previous studies related to the site, and negotiated details of a possible contract with Populous and its sub-contractors. RCLCO Real Estate Advisors will conduct an analysis to provide a market-driven plan, and Olin Studio, a worldwide leader in landscape architecture and urban design, will provide scenario designs based on input from previous studies and the public.
“The decision to work with Populous was based on its expertise with large scale urban design projects, its ability to hit the ground running because of previous studies and work related to Century II and a performing arts complex in Wichita,” said Susie Santo, president and CEO of Visit Wichita. “In addition, they have the ability to pull together a team that specializes in market-driven analysis and how we can maximize our connections to the developments on the west bank of the Arkansas.”
In addition to the Populous contract, the coalition is planning to work with local firm Bothner and Bradley Inc. to coordinate community engagement.
The total budget for the plan is about $700,000. The private sector has secured more than 70 percent of the total needed for the plan so far, with the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County expected to discuss funding at upcoming regular meetings.
“This is a complex plan with many pieces that need to be coordinated, while at the same time ensuring we have the mechanics set up to be able to engage the public and cast an aspirational vision that guides our region for the next generation,” said Jon Rolph, co-chair of the Greater Wichita Partnership. “In this case, we are working to ensure we have the technical expertise to make this the best plan possible.”
Rolph and other members of the coalition have committed to ensuring this is a long-term plan that puts the community first, and have said they will not be afraid to address tough decisions as a community – no matter where the plan leads.
As part of its commitment to transparency, the coalition plans to meet monthly and keep those meetings open to the public to attend as visitors. “It is critical we have a platform where we can conduct the business of keeping this process on time and budget, while also providing the public a chance to observe how – and why – decisions are being made,” Rolph explained.
The public will have several opportunities to offer input, including public meetings initially set for September and November this year and January 2020. As an example, the proposal calls for a series of “walkshops” held in September, offering anyone who wants the opportunity to tour the east bank site, including the buildings and other structures included in the area. Plans are in the works to also take design workshops out into the community, where the public can offer input.
The presentations of the final plan are expected in early 2020.
As plans progress, organizers will also have a website, where the public can learn about upcoming meetings, as well as offer input. There also will be a social media presence.
People are encouraged to attend meetings, provide comments online and ask questions if something doesn’t make sense.
“This is an exciting time for our community, and this planning process promises to build on the momentum of multiple initiatives working together to change perceptions, and attract talent and industry to the Wichita region,” said Shelly Prichard, President and CEO of the Wichita Community Foundation. “This is a chance for everyone to participate in defining the vision for the riverfront where these initiatives can come together and thrive.”
4/18/19 - Riverfront Legacy Master Plan to create comprehensive vision and plan and connect projects for both banks of Arkansas River
In response to recent recommendations from Project Wichita and the Century II Citizens Advisory Committee, community organizations and their leadership are stepping forward to take the next step to create a comprehensive master plan and vision that connects projects and both banks of the Arkansas River.
Calling it the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan, leaders of the community organizations said the plan will build on previous studies for the east side of the Arkansas River as well as new developments such as the ballpark on the west side.
Leaders affirmed that the vision and plan will consider all elements together, including a performing arts center, convention center, Century II, the former library, pedestrian bridge and open riverfront gathering space, as well as connecting elements from Kellogg to Douglas, west bank development, downtown and area neighborhoods.
“We have a once in every 100-year opportunity as a region,” said Greater Wichita Partnership Board Co-chair Jon Rolph. “The most important next step is to ensure all projects and decisions are carefully considered together to maximize our opportunities and community use for each element of this important area. Community interaction with our river is especially important.”
The master planning process would begin by using information generated by previous studies that analyzed different elements as a starting point and then add information related to new projects including developments on the west side of the river.
“Previous studies have provided us solid, market-based information on which to start this comprehensive plan,” said Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Michael Monteferrante. “That information will serve as our foundational building blocks. Unless we need additional or new analysis because of market changes, we plan to move quickly to create a new collective vision and holistic plan based on need, benefit to our community and public input.”
Lead organizations are Downtown Wichita, Greater Wichita Partnership, Wichita Community Foundation, Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce and Visit Wichita, working together through the regional vision and action plan Project Wichita. These private-sector organizations will work closely with public partners City of Wichita and Sedgwick County, other community organizations and area neighborhoods.
“It’s important that the public and community are at the center of this process,” said Wichita Community Foundation Board Chair Wayne Chambers. “We achieve great results when private and public sector work together with strong community input. Each of our organizations is led by community leaders who volunteer and dedicate time to create the best future of our community, and we’re excited to stand with our elected officials to engage the community, maximize transparency and provide a viewpoint from which to make generational decisions.”
The group will focus new community engagement on vision and connection of elements, on top of previous community engagement findings, including from Project Wichita, the regional vision process, and the Century II Citizens Advisory Committee analysis of a performing arts center.
“This is one of the most catalytic sites in our city, region and state,” said Downtown Wichita Board Chair Don Sherman. “As a community we must be dedicated to building upon the legacy of innovation, arts support and regional attraction from past generations to make the best decision for this generation and future ones. That’s why it’s important to consider all elements together to maximize community use and benefit for the next 50 years.”
There has been significant community interest in the riverfront in addition to the studies over the past six years.
“During the discussion surrounding our region’s 10-year vision and action plan, we heard from thousands of people - literally - about the significance of the river in our city and the role it plays as we move forward” said Aaron Bastian, Project Wichita Advancement Team Member. “This led to what I believe is a key part of our quality of place action plan. Retaining and attracting talent to our region is a priority, and it’s clear that the riverfront is important to a diverse group of people.”
In addition, the Century II Citizens Advisory Committee recommended a new performing arts center be constructed and requested an RFP for site selection and concept development within 60 days.
“This is a powerful next step and having community leadership stepping forward to work with the City and the County on this is exactly what our committee hoped would happen,” said Mary Beth Jarvis, Chair of the Century II Citizens Advisory Committee. “As we listened to the thoughts and hopes of thousands of our neighbors, we heard loud and clear that people care a great deal about getting this right. They want collaborative, big-picture thinking, followed by real movement on a pride-worthy actionable path forward.”
The City of Wichita and Sedgwick County leadership said they welcome the community organizations involvement in development of a holistic master plan.
Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell said, “We have great momentum and the community is looking forward to enjoying all that the riverfront area will offer. We appreciate the private sector leadership’s involvement in looking at how everything works together because our opportunities on the river’s east side are important. The City looks forward to working together for the benefit of our community.”
Sedgwick County Chairman David Dennis said, “Sedgwick County is glad to partner with these organizations, the City and especially the community on this important step to plan our collective future success. Every time we’ve worked together with community and public partners, we all move smarter and faster.”
According to the lead organizations the next step is to develop a scope, including specific components, which will affect the cost of creating a master plan. It is expected that the lead organizations will fund a significant portion of developing a comprehensive master plan along with some anticipated public funding from the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County.
“We expect to move quickly and strategically with a months-long, not years-long, master plan process,” said Visit Wichita Board Chair Jim Korroch. “The CSL study confirms that there is significant economic impact to be gained by attracting more meetings and conventions to Wichita with a convention center that meets industry-standards. Doing nothing is not an option, and deferring a decision simply delays our ability to start delivering those economic benefits. Developing a master plan and vision now will provide a roadmap for implementing these very important community decisions.”
1/18/19 - project wichita action plans announced
Extensive community input drives 10-year regional vision and action plans
WICHITA- Project Wichita Vision Team volunteers worked through the final months of 2018 to determine and complete specific 10-year action plans to drive toward a new regional vision. The community volunteer teams developed the action plans based on input from thousands of people, existing community plans and guidance from experts in the focus areas identified.
“Last February we had the idea it was time to ask the community about our regional vision,” said Aaron Bastian, President of Fidelity Bank and Project Wichita Co-chair. “People and groups jumped on board and fueled the momentum to make it happen. Throughout, the most clear and consistent message from the input is the Wichita region has to be willing to change to keep and attract the next generation.”
Based on community input from more than 249 focus groups and 14,000 survey respondents, the Vision Team developed action plans for five focus areas: Talent (led by Dominique Harris, Cargill), Lifelong Learning (led by Stephanie Harder, Textron Aviation), Strong Communities and Neighborhoods (led by Councilmember Brandon Johnson, City of Wichita), Economic Prosperity (led by Kyle Blasdel, Conco Construction), and Quality of Place (led by Matt Michaelis, Emprise Bank). The Vision Team has more than 90 organizations representing large and small businesses, non-profit organizations and community and civic groups.
“Each of these focus areas and their plans are interrelated and it will take the entire community acting together to achieve these plans. Together we will create the change and keep the momentum people want to see,” said Debbie Gann, Spirit AeroSystems retired executive and Project Wichita Co-chair. “Each team was focused on creating an effective, rather than an exhaustive plan.”
Bastian added, “These are complicated, interrelated issues that successful communities take on knowing there aren’t easy, quick answers. However, we know and have seen that with the right attitude, resolve and resources, together we will move our region forward.”
Some of the initiatives are designed to start immediately and others will be longer-term with all focused in the 10-year timeframe. Each will feature existing organizations working together.
Below are descriptions of each Focus Team area and initiatives. Complete action plans of initiatives and strategies can be found at www.projectwichita.org.
TALENT ACTION PLAN - The Talent Focus Team believes the anchor of the future workforce rests on efforts and initiatives to collaboratively nurture and retain local talent, attract top talent, and help promote opportunities for individuals to change careers and/or advance their careers within the region. These mid-career initiatives are designed to strengthen each other so that internal and external perceptions of the Wichita region will be that of a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive place to live, work and play throughout each stage of a career.
Initiatives include:
Attract and grow talent in the greater Wichita region.
Implement initiatives to retain regional talent and promote opportunities for mid-career talent advancement.
LIFELONG LEARNING ACTION PLAN- The Lifelong Learning Focus Team believes that education is the key that will unlock many of the Wichita region’s opportunities and must be valued and utilized to be truly effective. This requires a deliberate investment in strategic partnerships across the community and a regional willingness to promote honest conversation about educational needs at all levels in a rapidly changing world. Our aspiration is to make curiosity and valuing educational opportunities part of our regional DNA. The following initiatives are both urgent and long-term priorities we must address to achieve a decisive impact.
Initiatives include:
Coalesce regional literacy programs toward the overarching goal of increasing third-grade literacy levels, especially among those students currently reading below proficiency levels.
Understanding the region succeeds when our students succeed, develop a model (and or update existing models) for community, private sector and educational partnerships toward greater awareness, support and workforce development.
STRONG COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACTION PLAN- The Strong Communities and Neighborhoods Focus Team believes that as a community we must embrace the unique needs of neighborhoods and invest in ourselves to connect communities with key resources. We believe that identifying anchor institutions and addressing health and safety needs are important and proactive steps in the development of strong neighborhoods. An anchor institution is defined as an existing location where neighbors may already interact that can grow to serve as a strong community nucleus that connects residents to resources and each other. Within this context, neighbors can be equipped to collectively embark on the following initiatives in their unique local contexts.
Initiatives include:
Connect residents to resources, services, and opportunities to improve the strength of local neighborhoods and communities through the development of replicable models of “anchor institutions” and community-driven neighborhood input toolkits.
Identify and address community health and safety concerns to create vibrant and healthy neighborhoods, including access to healthy foods and enhanced capacity to meet the region’s mental health needs through programs and a regional mental health hospital.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ACTION PLAN- The Economic Prosperity Focus Team believes that a strong commitment to investment in four strategic areas will cultivate and support growth in the regional economy. Each distinct initiative contributes to a robust ecosystem of thriving businesses and industries. The following initiatives are recommended to continue building the foundation for Wichita’s growth potential as the home of the next wave of innovators, business, and business leaders.
Initiatives include:
Grow jobs and existing business through targeted economic development strategies.
Develop and strengthen regional entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Grow regional capacity for technology industry and talent.
Increase economic impact of tourism and investment in our regional infrastructure to double our convention hosting and tourism capability.
QUALITY OF PLACE ACTION PLAN- The Quality of Place Focus Team believes that as a community we must invest in ourselves to create a vibrant region, help retain and attract talent, and strengthen our communities. To truly drive transformational change, we need to act with urgency, commit to “doing it right” and provide for enduring success. In acknowledging numerous quality of place enrichment opportunities across our region, the Quality of Place Focus Team recommends the following initiatives as highest priorities
Initiatives include:
A world-class facility to highlight our exceptional performing arts.
A state-of-the-art convention center to host local, regional and national events.
A spectacular gathering spot in the heart of the city serving as a destination for all locals and visitors alike, as a complement to the neighborhood-centered efforts in the region.
A comprehensive and unified plan to connect development in the urban core, ensuring a vibrant city center—beautiful, engaging and walkable—that the entire region can be proud of.
A culture of celebrating community with signature events and attractions across the region.
Visit www.projectwichita.org for complete initiatives and strategies for Focus Areas.
“The success of our region belongs to the people just like this came from the people,” said Scott Schwindaman, President & CEO of Lubrication Engineers and Project Wichita Co-chair. “When we unite around a common vision and plan and hold each other accountable to action, we can get this and more done.”
SHARE PHASE NEXT STEP
Over the next month the Project Wichita Vision Team will share the results of the community input and resulting vision, guiding principles and action plans with the community through the Vision Team members, presentations, social media and more. During the Share phase, there are three follow-up opportunities including:
1) Those interested in a presentation can contact info@projectwichita.org to request a presentation and discussion opportunity with any organizational, employee, youth or other group.
2) As Project Wichita work continues with groups to further efforts and partnerships to ensure advancement of efforts, people can sign up for additional future information also at info@projectwichita.org.
3) Get involved with any good cause or project and share the ideas and information with other people. Some of the questions to the community that each person should wrestle with are:
What initiatives and strategies are most important to me and why?
How can I make a difference in this work?
How can I help connect more people and more communities?
“It’s up to each of us as individuals and to all the organizations we’re part of to drive our own path,” said Juston White, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas and Project Wichita Co-chair. “We have the clarity and now it’s time to have the courage to get it done.”
BACKGROUND
The Project Wichita community engagement process was designed to discover the community’s vision and 10-year action plan for the Wichita region. Project Wichita’s engagement process consisted of three phases over the last year: listen, focus, and share.
The community responded in overwhelming numbers in the listen phase. First, more than 3,800 people shared their input in over 239 focus groups. Based on analysis of that input and the broad themes, the Wichita State University Policy and Management Center created a survey unique to our region designed to dive deeper into those topics. Online and paper surveys were available in multiple languages. The survey was open for three weeks and during that time nearly 14,000 people responded.
Based on the community input, the Project Wichita Vision Team created a vision statement and guiding principles to be used for action planning and idea generation to achieve the vision.
VISION STATEMENT:
Here in the heart of the heartland, we work together to create a vibrant region where people choose to live because we bravely seize opportunities and champion change, provide pathways to success, welcome our differences and invest in our future.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
Invest in Ourselves
Connected Community
Future Generation Mindset
Boldly Seize Opportunities
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
10/22/18 - Project Wichita Focus Areas Announced
Community Input Defines Focus for 10-Year Vision and Action Plan
WICHITA - Based on community input, the Project Wichita volunteer Vision Team has developed five Focus Areas the 10-year action plans will address the following in our region:
TALENT
LIFELONG LEARNING
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
STRONG COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS
QUALITY OF PLACE
Vision Team members are working in teams to draft the action plans for the 10-year vision based on community input, existing community plans and guidance from experts in the field. The Vision Team includes more than 90 organizations representing large and small businesses, non-profit organizations and community and civic groups.
Five Team Leaders – have stepped forward to help lead each Focus Area team and work with the other volunteers and Wichita State Public Policy and Management Center to develop the Focus Area plans by the end of the year.
TALENT Team- Dominique Harris, Senior Business Development Analyst, Cargill
LIFELONG LEARNING Team– Stephanie Harder, Director of Employee and Community Engagement, Textron Aviation
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY Team – Kyle Blasdel, Director of Business and Project Development, Conco Construction
STRONG COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS Team – City Councilmember Brandon Johnson, City of Wichita
QUALITY OF PLACE Team – Matt Michaelis, Chairman & CEO, Emprise Bank
“The volunteers on Project Wichita’s Vision Team have really stepped up to take all this input and focus in on what we heard. They are digging in to identify key opportunities to help the community create the change that people said they want,” said Debbie Gann, Project Wichita Co-chair and retired Spirit AeroSystems executive.
“We’ve already started work and we have a lot to build on because so many talented people and organizations are already engaged in implementing change,” said Dominique Harris. “Nevertheless, we heard clearly from the community and know that now is our time to be bold. We know that change needs to come quickly, which will require that we work together to make an impact in the next 10 years and beyond.”
NEXT STEPS:
The Project Wichita Vision Team members will work with these focus teams and local content area experts to review existing and new plans and then draft action steps to achieve the 10-year vision to present to the community by the end of 2018.
BACKGROUND
The Project Wichita community engagement process is designed to discover the community’s vision and 10-year action plan for the Wichita region. Project Wichita’s engagement process consists of three phases: listen, focus, and share.
The community responded in overwhelming numbers in the listen phase. First, more than 3,800 people shared their input in over 240 focus groups. Based on analysis of that input and the broad themes, the Wichita State University Policy and Management Center created a survey unique to our region designed to dive deeper into those topics. Online and paper surveys were available in multiple languages. The survey was open for three weeks and during that time nearly 14,000 people responded.
Some of those findings included:
The vision and perspective section of findings included the strong belief that the region needs to be willing to change in order to keep and attract the next generation.
Essential investments for the future that ranked high included ideas relating to talent development/retention, lifelong learning/education, transportation, community issues/quality of life and economic growth and development.
Analysis of survey responses for differences among demographic groups such as gender, age, race, education and income levels demonstrated the importance of understanding the wide variety of voices in the region.
Based on the community input, the Project Wichita Vision Team created a vision statement and guiding principles to be used for action planning and idea generation to achieve the vision.
VISION STATEMENT:
Here in the heart of the heartland, we work together to create a vibrant region where people choose to live because we bravely seize opportunities and champion change, provide pathways to success, welcome our differences and invest in our future.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
Invest in Ourselves – believe in our region and invest in assets that attract, retain and build talent and opportunities
Connected Community – people connected to each other and connected to opportunities in education, businesses and the region
Future Generation Mindset – forward thinking problem solving to attract next generation and build a strong future
Boldly Seize Opportunities – taking risks, acting now, leading boldly
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
9/19/18 - Project Wichita Vision Begins to Form
Community Input Shapes Vision Statement and Guiding Principles
WICHITA- Last month, findings were released from the Project Wichita community survey which included nearly 14,000 voices from the region.
The vision and perspective section of findings included the strong belief that the region needs to be willing to change in order to keep and attract the next generation.
The second section of findings focused on the region’s thoughts on essential investments for the future. Those ranking high included ideas relating to talent development/retention, lifelong learning/education, transportation, community issues/quality of life and economic growth and development.
A final section of results included analysis of survey responses for differences among demographic groups such as gender, age, race, education and income levels to further understand a wide variety of voices in the region.
All of these findings were presented to the Project Wichita Vision Team which includes over 90 community leaders from large and small businesses, non-profit organizations, and community and civic groups.
The Vision Team reviewed survey and focus group findings and themes from the community and began creating a vision statement and guiding principles designed to help the region and leaders determine 10-year action plans.
“This was a crucial step in the process,” said Scott Schwindaman, President & CEO of Lubrication Engineers and Project Wichita Co-chair. “As the saying goes, you need to know where you are going to make sure you get there. This vision statement reflects the direction we heard from the region about where they want their community to be in 10 years. As people who care about our future, we need to actively work toward achieving this vision.”
VISION STATEMENT:
Here in the heart of the heartland, we work together to create a vibrant region where people choose to live because we bravely seize opportunities and champion change, provide pathways to success, welcome our differences and invest in our future.
“The community was very clear that our region needs to be willing to change,” said Debbie Gann, Project Wichita Co-chair and retired Spirit AeroSystems executive. “We need to hold each other and leadership accountable to actively work each day toward this vision to grow our region and keep people here.”
After setting the vision statement, the Vision Team created a list of guiding principles to help provide direction. These guiding principles are based on the community input and will be used for action planning and idea generation toward achieving the vision.
“The guiding principles are continual reminders for the community and its leaders on how change should shape our future region by knowing what is important to us all, ” Juston White, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas and Project Wichita Co-chair.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
Invest in Ourselves – believe in our region and invest in assets that attract, retain and build talent and opportunities
Connected Community – people connected to each other and connected to opportunities in education, businesses and the region
Future Generation Mindset – forward thinking problem solving to attract next generation and build a strong future
Boldly Seize Opportunities – taking risks, acting now, leading boldly
“These guiding principles are essential as we navigate the remainder of the Project Wichita process and build the foundation on which regional decisions are made over the next 10 years,” said Aaron Bastian, Project Wichita Co-chair and President of Fidelity Bank. “Based on community input and leadership from the Vision Team, these are the commitments to which we must hold ourselves, our leaders and our community accountable for every decision, every dollar, and every day.”
PROCESS AND NEXT STEPS
The Project Wichita Vision Team will continue to review input from the focus groups and the survey findings. The next step will be to determine focus areas for the action plan.
The Vision Team members will work with local content area experts to review existing plans and then draft action steps to achieve the 10-year vision to present to the community by the end of 2018.
BACKGROUND
The Project Wichita community engagement process is designed to discover the community’s vision for the Wichita region over the next 10 years. The Project Wichita engagement process consists of three phases: listen, focus, and share. Focus groups, the first part of the “listen” phase, were completed with an overwhelming response of 3,800+ participants.
The Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center analyzed the community responses from the focus groups to find the topics that emerged. From those broad topics, WSU created a survey unique to our region designed to dive deeper into topics important to the community. Online and paper surveys were available in multiple languages. The survey was open for three weeks and during that time nearly 14,000 people responded to the survey.
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
8/29/18 - final sections of project wichita survey results released
Thousands Share Opinions on Essential Investments for the Region
WICHITA- The listening phase of the Project Wichita community vision process continues to shed more light on what people hope for the future of the Wichita region. When nearly 14,000 voices gave input through the Project Wichita survey, they generated more than two million data points of information that provide more insight into a variety of vision and direction ideas into the key issues and opportunities facing the region.
Earlier this month, Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) analyzed the first two sections of the data which addressed Vision and Regional Perspectives. Those findings were released August 9 and included the strong belief that the region needs to be willing to change in order to keep and attract the next generation.
“We heard clearly from thousands in the region,” said Scott Schwindaman, President & CEO of Lubrication Engineers and Project Wichita Co-chair. “The first sections of data on our region’s vision for the future showed us that people care deeply about their community and feel strongly the region needs to be open to change.”
Over the past few weeks, WSU PPMC continued their deep dive into the data, reviewing the rest of the survey findings which focus on essential investments in the topics identified in the more than 239 focus groups with over 3,800 people. The eight broad topics were: Downtown Area, Riverfront, Strong Neighborhoods and Communities, Cultural Arts and Attractions, Economic Opportunity, Transportation, Education, and Community Wellness.
People were asked to rank what future investments of resources (time, human resources, or money) were the most important to outcomes in these different areas.
Investment ideas that ranked especially high in the survey included:
Talent development and retention-related ideas
Create career opportunities to retain college students
Increase educational opportunities to meet the changing requirements for the workforce
Support career pathways and job development (I.e. manufacturing, STEM, technology)
Support after high school education to grow the regional economy
Develop strong talent retention strategies for regional workforce
Lifelong Learning and Education issues
Transportation
Make flights from Wichita Eisenhower National Airport more affordable
Increase direct flights from Wichita Eisenhower National Airport
Community Issues – Quality of Life
Increase access (availability, affordability) to quality mental health care
Encourage citizen and police collaboration for improved public safety
Economic Growth and Development
Grow different types of businesses and industries
In addition to these, other ideas also found strong support among at least 50 percent of the respondents. Full data for these and other ideas can be found below.
WSU PPMC analyzed survey responses for differences among demographic groups as an important component of listening to all voices within the community such as gender, age, race, education and income levels and more to further understand the survey responses.
Some examples of demographic findings include:
Women and minority communities ranked ideas related to education higher
Minority communities and younger age groups ranked issues related to river and downtown development higher
Older age groups, minority communities and lower-income households ranked issues related to neighborhood investment higher
Women, minority communities and lower-income households ranked issues related to health higher.
Economic improvement issues ranked high across the board in all demographic categories
*These are examples of Project Wichita demographic comparison data. The full data can be found online below.
All of these findings were presented to the Project Wichita Vision Team made up of over 90 community leaders from large and small businesses, non-profit organizations, and community and civic groups. The Vision Team was eager to review the data and discuss the community input in order to begin drafting action plans based on input.
“As we begin to review the data, several key themes rise to the top,” said Stephanie Harder, Co-chair of the Business and Education Alliance and Project Wichita Vision Team Member. “From the survey it appears people believe that education, talent development and retention are essential investments to ensure the economic future of this region. We have heard many of these issues in different segments of the community and this is our time to ramp up how we address these through community commitment and momentum.”
“One of the clear takeaways is that we have a lot of general agreement and momentum. This process included many different voices within our community and those differing viewpoints and beliefs are represented in this data. It’s encouraging to see those discussions happening,” said Ebony Clemons-Ajibolade, Economic Development Manager, Westar Energy and Vision Team Member. “Now it’s up to us as volunteers who believe in our community and its future to address these issues and figure out action plans that will help move the region forward.”
PROCESS AND NEXT STEPS
The Project Wichita Vision Team will continue to review all the listening input from the focus groups and the survey findings including by demographic areas. Working with local content area experts, they will also review existing plans and draft action plans for a 10-year vision to present to the community by the end of 2018.
BACKGROUND
The Project Wichita community engagement process is designed to discover the community’s vision for the Wichita region over the next 10 years. The Project Wichita engagement process consists of three phases: listen, focus, and share. Focus groups, the first part of the “listen” phase, were recently completed with an overwhelming response of 3,800+ participants.
The Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center analyzed the community responses from the focus groups to find the topics that emerged. From those broad topics, WSU created a survey unique to our region designed to dive deeper into topics important to the community.
Online and paper surveys were available in multiple languages. The survey was open for three weeks and during that time more than 13,907 people responded to the survey.
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
Click to view the full PDF of the Ranked Strategic Items
Click to view the full PDF of the Survey Index Results
8/9/18 - FIRST SECTIONS OF PROJECT WICHITA RESULTS ARE IN
WICHITA- Last month, nearly 14,000 voices shared their hopes for the future of the Wichita region through the Project Wichita survey. Over the past few weeks, the Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center has been analyzing the community responses in the first two sections of the data –the Vision and Regional Perspectives categories.
“The response from the community to the survey was phenomenal,” said Debbie Gann, Spirit AeroSystems retired executive and Project Wichita Co-chair. “We are hearing from other communities our size and much larger that these participation numbers are outstanding. We would like to thank everyone in the community who took the time to share their thoughts. It’s clear that our community cares about our future and is eager to be involved.”
With 13, 907 respondents and over two million data points to review, the Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center presented preliminary findings in the Vision and Regional Perspectives categories to the Project Wichita Vision Team made up of over 90 community leaders from large and small businesses, non-profit organizations and community and civic groups.
“We are thankful to the many voices who shared their thoughts in the survey and focus groups,” said Juston White, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas and Project Wichita Co-chair. “The respondents included a wide variety of perspectives and demographics within our region, which is critical to creating the overall vision.”
PRELIMINARY VISION FINDINGS
8 out of 10 community respondents think that our region should be a place that all children have the chance to succeed.
STRONGLY AGREE (51.38%)
AGREE (28.44%)
Over 80% of community respondents think that our region should be a place that provides opportunities for people willing to help themselves.
STRONGLY AGREE (49.73%)
AGREE (35.13%
Nearly 8 out of 10 community respondents think that our region should be a place that ensures career opportunities and advancement for all ages.
STRONGLY AGREE (47.12%)
AGREE (30.09%)
Over 75% of community respondents think that our region should be a place that values diversity and inclusion.
STRONGLY AGREE (41.59%)
AGREE (34.57%)
More than three-fourths of community respondents think that our region should be a place that is a destination people want to live.
STRONGLY AGREE (40.52%)
AGREE (37.17%)
Nearly three-fourths of community respondents think that our region should be a place that supports cooperation and collaborations among regional sectors.
STRONGLY AGREE (35.83%)
AGREE (37.19%)
PRELIMINARY REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES FINDINGS
4 out of 5 community respondents think that the Wichita region has to be willing to change to keep and attract the next generation.
STRONGLY AGREE (51.98%)
AGREE (34.09%)
Two-thirds of community respondents are optimistic about the future of the Wichita region.
STRONGLY AGREE (21.15%)
AGREE (45.9%)
Half of the community respondents think that an increase in population would make the Wichita region thrive
STRONGLY AGREE (17.92%)
AGREE (33.95%)
NEXT STEPS
The WSU Public Policy and Management Center team will continue to carefully analyze this information and work with the Project Wichita Vision Team and Co-chairs to review responses in depth from different age groups and ethnicities, education/income levels and more to further understand the responses. The next set of data will include a breakdown of the broad topics the community wants addressed. This fall, the Vision Team will review additional findings from the survey and begin action planning.
“We are inspired to be hearing the hopes and dreams for the Wichita region from our community members. The listening process was even more successful than anticipated and we are taking time to analyze the results from all angles so we hear all voices,” said Aaron Bastian, President of Fidelity Bank and Project Wichita Co-chair.
“The way the community participated in the listening phase was incredible. We are thankful to our partners and community members who shared their voices and are helping us create an action plan for moving our region forward over the next 10 years,” said Scott Schwindaman, President & CEO of Lubrication Engineers and Project Wichita Co-chair.
Complete findings and initial action plans are scheduled to be presented by the end of 2018.
BACKGROUND
The Project Wichita community engagement process is designed to discover the community’s vision for the Wichita region over the next 10 years. The Project Wichita engagement process consists of three phases: listen, focus, and share. Focus groups, the first part of the “listen” phase, were recently completed with an overwhelming response of 3,800+ participants.
The Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center analyzed the community responses from the focus groups to find the topics that emerged. From those broad topics, WSU created a survey unique to our region designed to dive deeper into topics important to the community.
Online and paper surveys were available in multiple languages. The survey was open for three weeks and during that time more than 13,907 people responded to the survey.
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
7/18/18 - nearly 14,000 people share input in Project Wichita survey
Online survey gathers input for region's vision
WICHITA- Nearly 14,000 voices shared their hopes for the future of the Wichita region through the Project Wichita survey. Participants totaling 13,907 represented a wide variety of the community and their input will be used to shape a 10-year regional vision and action plan.
The survey was the second and final part of the “listen” phase of the Project Wichita process, following the first part, focus groups, where more than 3,800 people identified the broad topics the region wants addressed. Everyone in the region was encouraged to participate in both focus groups and the survey.
“We’re truly overwhelmed by the number of people who participated, and also excited to see how many wanted to share their voice. It’s clear our community cares about our future and is eager to be involved,” said Debbie Gann, Project Wichita Co-chair and retired Spirit AeroSystems executive.
VARIETY OF VOICES
Within the thousands of survey respondents, input and ideas came from many demographic groups.
The WSU Public Policy and Management Center team will carefully analyze this information and work with the Project Wichita team to review responses in depth from different age groups, races and ethnicities, education/income levels and more to further understand the overall vision for our region.
“Because this was directed at engaging and listening to all in the community who wanted to participate rather than just targeted sample,” said Misty Bruckner, Director WSU Public Policy and Management Center, “we will look for commonalities and differences to see if the community has a consensus for a vision and if there are significant differences among participants that need more discussion.”
For the WSU team, the next step will be providing the analysis to the Vision Team and community to begin developing a collective vision and action plan.
SURVEY SUCCESS
With nearly 14,000 voices participating in the survey process, the Project Wichita team is thankful to the community for their participation. For a community listening process, the final participation numbers are truly remarkable.
“We would especially like to thank our many partners and passionate community members who helped spread the word about the survey,” said Aaron Bastian, Project Wichita Co-chair and President of Fidelity Bank. “Most importantly, we want to thank the respondents who represent a wide variety of demographics within our region, which is critical to creating a comprehensive vision.”
BY THE NUMBERS*
The Project Wichita overall survey total was 13,907 respondents. Reporting groups met response thresholds for significant analysis in this listening process.
Race/Ethnicity Number of Survey Respondents
Hispanic/Spanish/Latino 710
Black/African American 614
American Indian or Alaska Native 393
Asian 292
Other 526
Caucasian/White 10,333
Gender Number of Survey Respondents
Female 6,834
Male 5,142
Other 89
Marital Status Number of Survey Respondents
Single 4,055
Married 7,968
Education Number of Survey Respondents
High School/GED or some High School 796
Some College/Professional Certificates 2,805
College Graduate 4,841
Graduate/Professional Degree 3,661
Have School-Aged Children Number of Survey Respondents
Yes 4,138
No 7,909
Total Household Income Number of Survey Respondents
Less than $20,000 441
$20,00 - $39,000 1,129
$40,000 - $59,000 1,784
$60,000 - $79,000 1,899
$80,000 - $99,000 1,692
$100,000 - $119,000 1,514
$120,000 - $139,000 934
$140,000 - $159,000 635
$160,000 - $179,000 404
More than $180,000 1,141
Age Number of Survey Respondents
Under 21 413
22 – 24 508
25 – 35 2,549
36 – 45 2,472
46 – 55 2,358
56 – 65 2,419
66 – 75 1,008
Over 75 years 304
*Not every person filled out every demographic question
BACKGROUND
The Project Wichita community engagement process is designed to discover the community’s vision for the Wichita region over the next 10 years. The Project Wichita engagement process consists of three phases: listen, focus, and share. Focus groups, the first part of the “listen” phase, were recently completed with an overwhelming response of 3,800+ participants.
The Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center analyzed the community responses from the focus groups to find the topics that emerged. From those broad topics, WSU created a survey unique to our region designed to dive deeper into topics important to the community.
Online and paper surveys were available in multiple languages. The survey was open for three weeks and during that time more than 13,907 people responded to the survey.
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
6/18/18 - PROJECT WICHITA SURVEY STARTS TODAY
Online survey chance for people to provide input for region's vision and future
WICHITA- The Project Wichita survey launched today as an opportunity for the community to provide input on a vision for the region’s future. The survey can be found at www.projectwichita.org.
The Project Wichita community engagement process consists of three steps: listen, focus, and share. Focus groups, the first part of the “listen” phase, were recently completed with an overwhelming response of 3,800+ participants. The second part of the Project Wichita “listen” phase is the newly launched survey.
“We are thrilled with the number and diversity of community members who participated in focus groups last month. It was truly outstanding to see the region step up and speak out,” said Juston White, Project Wichita Co-chair and Executive Director for Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas. “Our hope with the survey is to get additional input from as many people as possible on their vision for our region’s future.”
The Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center analyzed the community responses from the focus groups to find the topics that emerged. From those broad topics, WSU created a survey unique to our region designed to dive deeper into topics important to the community.
The survey will take 10 minutes or less to complete. The online survey is mobile friendly and can easily be taken on phones with Internet access. Paper surveys may be requested at info@projectwichita.org or by calling (316) 500-6650. The survey will be open now through July 6.
“The incredible response to the focus groups tells us that the community is excited for this process,” said Debbie Gann, retired Spirit AeroSystems executive. “Now is the time to get involved. If you want to help shape the Wichita region of tomorrow, we need your voice today.”
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
6/6/18 - THOUSANDS PARTICIPATE IN PROJECT WICHITA FOCUS GROUPS
“Our goal with the focus groups was to provide the opportunity for anyone’s voice to be heard anywhere at any time,” said Aaron Bastian, Project Wichita Co-chair and President of Fidelity Bank. “The folks in our community have big dreams and have put a lot of thought into our region’s future. Learning more about those dreams from a variety of voices was integral in the success of the first part of the listening phase.”
By the Numbers *totals as of 6/6/18
Total Focus Groups: 239+
Total Participants: 3,800+
“We are overwhelmed by the positive community response to the first step of this listening phase,” said Debbie Gann, Project Wichita Co-chair and retired Spirit AeroSystems executive. “Compared to other cities our size and larger that have led similar processes, these participation numbers are truly outstanding.”
Focus Groups Audiences Included:
Participants ages 9 to 90
Business leaders to non-profit organizations
Senior citizens to high school students
Wichita residents to regional communities
And many more
Community Responses
The Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center analyzed the community responses to determine the broad topics identified in these focus groups. About 90 percent of the focus group discussions fit into one of eight broad topics. These broad topics are listed in no particular order and some examples of feedback are provided.
Downtown Area (Feedback included: Downtown development and innovation, Old Town, Delano and entertainment districts, retail shopping and grocery store)
Riverfront (Feedback included: Create destination place for entertainment, leverage river as community destination, performing arts venue and conference/convention center)
Strong Neighborhoods and Communities (Feedback included: Affordable housing options, support unique and diverse neighborhood cultures, safety and infrastructure issues)
Cultural Arts and Attractions (Feedback included: Cultural investment in museums, art, entertainment and restaurants, natural attractions, festivals, diverse entertainment options)
Economic Opportunity (Feedback included: Industry diversity and balance, emphasis on technology, promote education hub, workforce development)
Transportation (Feedback included: Completion of Kellogg and regional expressways, enhanced/improved public transit, air service and connections, passenger trains and bike/walking paths)
Education (Feedback included: K-12 improvement and investment, all levels of higher education and pathways, increased emphasis on STEM, establish goals for graduation and global preparedness)
Community Wellness (Feedback included: Mental health care, access to quality health care, care for aging populations, homelessness, and food deserts)
Next Steps
The second part of the listening phase is a community survey to gather additional community input. The survey will be available online at www.projectwichita.org from June 18 through July 6.
“We are currently working with the WSU Public Policy and Management Center team to create a community survey unique to our region that will provide additional input on opportunities and future strategic discussions related to what we heard in the focus groups,” said Bastian.
More Information
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
4/5/18 - FOCUS GROUPS LAUNCH AS FIRST STEP IN PROJECT WICHITA
Vision process begins with listening
WICHITA - “Any group, anywhere, anytime” can share their thoughts about the future of Wichita and the region by discussing five questions and sharing their answers. Have a book club, bowling team or Bunco group? Have a group of friends or coworkers who care about where Wichita and the region should go? Project Wichita features multiple ways to get involved with a focus group as the first official listening tactic in the community engagement process.
According to Misty Bruckner, Director of Wichita State University (WSU) Public Policy and Management Center, multiple options for focus groups allow an increased ability to reach all audiences and communities as part of the Project Wichita community engagement process.
“Focus groups will provide an opportunity for any group, anywhere at any time to get involved in the process. Our goal is to seek multi-generational participation from high school students to retirees,” said Bruckner.
The recently announced Project Wichita community engagement process has three steps: Listen, Focus and Share. As part of the “Listen” step, two types of focus groups are beginning and will be underway in April and May.
DIY Focus Groups
Anyone can host a non-traditional “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) focus group by visiting the Project Wichita website at www.projectwichita.org to download the questions, host their group event and then send their collective input online to WSU’s Public Policy and Management Center to include as a part of the Project Wichita vision direction.
WSU and Volunteer-led Focus Groups
In addition, the WSU team and Project Wichita volunteers are facilitating a variety of focus groups with a wide range of ages and backgrounds throughout the community and region including with non-profits, community organizations, schools and businesses. Those who are interested in volunteering (helping host or facilitate multiple focus groups) may attend training in person at Wichita State University:
April 17, 12:00 -1:00 p.m. Room 138 Wichita State Metroplex
April 18, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Room 138 Wichita State Metroplex
Please RSVP online at www.projectwichita.org
Focus groups will be conducted across the region to gather broad ideas and feedback on what is important to the community. Based on the key themes and topics identified by the focus groups, WSU will create an online survey to be shared with the regional community asking for opinions and priorities on those topics.
Community members who would like to host an individual focus group with their friends, coworkers or interest group, can find information and simple instructions at www.projectwichita.org
Organizations interested in the overall listening process may contact Evan Rosell at evan@projectwichita.org.
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
3/28/18 - project wichita process announced
First phase of community listening begins this week
WICHITA – What’s the one best feature of the Wichita region? What is your big dream for the Wichita region in 10 years? These are some of the questions the community will share their thoughts on as a part of the Project Wichita listening process starting this week.
Inclusive Process
Volunteers wanted the regional 10-year vision and action plan Project Wichita process to include big discussions from as many people as possible. So Wichita State University’s (WSU) Public Policy and Management Center team built a custom process for gathering input across the region. The process includes focus groups with individuals and organizations, gathering feedback at diverse community events, online surveys and robust social media engagement.
Over the next few months the Project Wichita process will feature three main steps: Listen, Focus and Share
Listen – Spring/Summer 2018
Host focus groups, community listening events, launch online survey, social media
During the Listen phase of the process, WSU will conduct traditional and non-traditional focus groups across the region gathering broad ideas and feedback on what is important to the community. Based on the key themes and topics identified by the focus groups, WSU will then create an online survey to be shared with the regional community asking for opinions and priorities on those topics.
According to Misty Bruckner, Director WSU Public Policy and Management Center, this step in the process is what makes Project Wichita community engagement different than previous efforts. This listening process will provide an opportunity for any group, anywhere, at any time to get involved.
More details on community focus groups and how the public can get involved will be available next week.
Focus - Summer 2018
Research existing data and plans, conduct interviews
During the Focus phase of the process research and community findings will be analyzed for trends and patterns. Those findings will be discussed by the Vision Team – a group charged with shepherding the Project Wichita plan – in order to build work teams. These work teams will identify and review priorities driven by community feedback and will work with subject experts and those affected to help build an action plan.
Share - Fall 2018
Report community vision, priorities and action plan
During the Share phase of the process, WSU and the Vision Team will share final results and recommendations with the community including regional vision and priorities. The estimated timeline for the report is late Fall 2018. In addition to a regional vision, the community engagement process will produce an action plan focused on the next 10 years.
The Project Wichita community engagement process is funded and shepherded by organizations and businesses. More than 70 organizations have signed on to support the regional effort. Included are small and large employers, non-profit organizations, civic and regional groups and community organizations. Each organization has representation on the Vision Team to shepherd the process and ensure robust community engagement and involvement.
“This process is designed just for us based on our goals of extensive listening. We’re especially excited about the multiple ways we plan to go deep into groups within our communities,” said Juston White, Co-chair of Project Wichita and Executive Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas.
“Through a lot of good, fast teamwork, we’re going to reach new audiences through social media. Between that and the online survey and focus groups, we want to reach all audiences, including those who may not have had a voice in the listening process before,” said Debbie Gann, Co-chair of Project Wichita and Vice President Communications & Public Affairs at Spirit AeroSystems.
Organizations interested in the overall listening process or joining the Vision Team may contact Evan Rosell at evan@projectwichita.org. Rosell is Vice President of Projects at the Greater Wichita Partnership and is helping to coordinate the Project Wichita effort.
For more information and the latest updates on Project Wichita’s progress, go to www.projectwichita.org and follow Project Wichita on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at 316-644-1269 or carakliewer@gmail.com.
3/19/18 - Group to guide project wichita vision process announced
Area organizations step forward to help shepherd a robust community engagement
WICHITA – The new community vision process, Project Wichita, is set to launch to the public this month with more than 65 organizations and businesses supporting the effort. The initiative was announced in February and in the few weeks following small and large businesses, civic and regional organizations, non-profits and community groups came forward to help fund the process and shepherd the community engagement.
The funds raised will be used for implementation and by Wichita State University’s (WSU) Public Policy and Management Center to develop and implement an engagement process that will reach as many people and groups as possible to provide the input needed to create a vision. The key outcomes of the Project Wichita community engagement process are a collective 10-year vision and an action plan to achieve it.
“The positive response has been overwhelming,” said Scott Schwindaman, Co-chair of Project Wichita and President & CEO at Lubrication Engineers. “People and community groups have embraced that this is the right time for a new vision--one that will be defined by as many people, organizations, businesses and groups as we can reach through this process. It will take all of us working together to ensure all voices are heard.”
“We are excited WSU is working on a plan to involve new and innovative ideas along with traditional listening processes. We want to maximize opportunities for individual voices to be heard and make sure we have all voices at the table,” said Juston White, Co-chair of Project Wichita and Executive Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas.
Each of these organizations and businesses who have stepped forward and committed to support the process will have representation on a coalition called the Vision Team.
The Vision Team is made up of representatives from small and large businesses, non-profit organizations, civic and regional organizations and community groups. Scholarships have been made available through the generosity of many businesses allowing for a dynamic range of voices represented within the Vision Team.
The Project Wichita Vision Team has three primary objectives:
Fund/support the process of community engagement
Protect the integrity of the process and ensure all voices represented
Commit volunteer time to develop an actionable plan to achieve the vision
The co-chairs said that other organizations are still being added to the Vision Team. Aaron Bastian, Co-chair of Project Wichita and President at Fidelity Bank, said, “More and more we’re hearing from folks who want to help shape the future of our community, and we’re determined to find a seat at the table for everyone. It’s imperative that we engage the entire community and financial support and time commitment will make that happen.”
“There is still a need for funding to help the process reach as many people as possible and to help with early support of action plans identified for Project Wichita,” said Debbie Gann, Project Wichita Co-chair and Vice President Communications & Public Affairs at Spirit AeroSystems.
Co-chairs said the full engagement process and first listening phase would be announced and launched to the public in the coming weeks after Vision Team consultation.
Organizations interested in joining the Vision Team or overall listening process may contact Evan Rosell at evan@projectwichita.org. Rosell is Vice President of Projects at the Greater Wichita Partnership and is helping to coordinate the Project Wichita effort.
PROJECT WICHITA VISION TEAM AS OF MARCH 16:
A.G. Hospitality Services
All Metal Recycling
Allen Gibbs & Houlik, L.C.
Apples & Arrows
Arts Council
Bombardier
Bothner & Bradley
Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas
Butler Community College
Cargill
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Wichita
Chamber Music at the Barn
City of El Dorado
City of Newton
City of Wichita
Commerce Bank
Cornejo & Sons
Cox Communications
Cox Machine
Create Campaign, Inc.
Eby Construction
Emprise Bank
Equity Bank
Exploration Place
Fidelity Bank
Friends University
Gardner Design
Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland
Greater Wichita Ministerial League
Greater Wichita Partnership
Greater Wichita YMCA
Hall’s Culligan Water/PrairieFire Coffee Roasters
High Touch Technologies
Hope Community Church
Hutton Construction
IMA Financial Group, Inc.
INTRUST Bank
Kansas Health Foundation
Kansas Small Business Development Center
Koch Industries
Leadership Wichita
Lubrication Engineers
Martin Pringle Attorneys at Law
Meritrust
Music Theatre Wichita
NAACP
Newman University
REAP (Regional Economic Area Partnership) of South Central Kansas
Rocking M Media
Sasnak Management Corporation
Sedgwick County Zoo
Senseney Music, Inc.
Spirit AeroSystems Inc.
Star Lumber
Textron Aviation
Trinity Academy
United Way of the Plains
USD 259 Wichita Public Schools
USD 266 Maize Public Schools
USD 385 Andover Public Schools
Visit Wichita
Westar Energy
Wichita Community Foundation
Wichita Festivals
Wichita Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce
Wichita State University
Wichita Symphony Orchestra
WSU Tech
2/1/18 - Project Wichita Announced Today
Community and regional vision process planned
WICHITA – What’s your vision for our community’s future? What’s your neighbor’s? What’s our overall vision? Those are the questions a community group will be asking the public in the coming months. Today, a new community vision process for Wichita was announced – Project Wichita.
In recent years, the region and Wichita have celebrated some big wins and increasing pride. This positive momentum has driven a significant question for many in the area, “What’s next for our community?”
Four co-chairs have stepped up to lead the Project Wichita process, which will be developed over the next month with plans to focus on both traditional and non-traditional public listening and community engagement. Specifics will be determined in the following weeks with input from a steering committee.
Co-chairs are Aaron Bastian, President at Fidelity Bank, Debbie Gann, Vice President Communications & Public Affairs at Spirit AeroSystems, Scott Schwindaman, President & CEO at Lubrication Engineers and Juston White, Executive Director at Boys and Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas.
“We want to focus on a process that maximizes the opportunities for all individual voices to be heard and to reach deep into the community,” said Bastian. “Working together we’re going to develop the way we do that over the next few weeks.
White added, “Project Wichita is coming from people who recognized this was the right time and opportunity to ask ourselves, ‘what’s next for our community and our region?’ And we wanted to share now in the initial development phase so that everyone who wants to participate can jump on board early.”
There will be multiple ways for individuals to be involved. People may visit www.projectwichita.org for more information in the coming weeks and months on the process.
The community listening process will be funded and shepherded by a steering council of organizations and businesses that choose to be involved. About 20 organizations were approached in the last few weeks to determine initial interest. Those included small and large employers, non-profit organizations and community groups who have committed or expressed interest in funding.
“Once we realized how the community rallied around this project and how quickly groups were signing on to participate in and fund it, we wanted to announce this effort so we could continue discussing ideas with more organizations,” said Bastian. Organizations can request more information at www.projectwichita.org.
The process will be facilitated by Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center, along with volunteers from the steering council and other interested citizens. The listening process will be designed and shared with the public in the next few weeks.
“It’s our time to come together and chart our own path, and we want organizations from throughout the region to participate and help shape the Project Wichita process to make it fit us,” said Gann. “It’s clear that there are plenty of ideas and lots of energy. We can’t wait to listen and engage.”
In addition to a regional vision, the process will produce an action plan focused on the next 10 years. As part of the larger process, the WSU Public Policy group will also gather planned community engagement about Century II. Mayor Jeff Longwell is also naming a steering council to help focus on the community input for Century II.
“We’ve had a lot of positive momentum in the last couple of years with new jobs, development and growing community pride,” Schwindaman said. “With that momentum also comes more questions and opportunities for us to address and make sure that we as a community establish a vision for this generation and those to come.”
According to Misty Bruckner of the WSU Public Policy and Management Center, the Project Wichita process will most likely include traditional online surveys, focus groups and town hall meetings along with engaging online and social media components with the intent to have participation from every generation from high school students to retirees.
Bastian said, “Our community is ready. Project Wichita began as an idea a few weeks ago, and we have already secured commitments of over $300,000 with about 75 percent of those commitments from private funding. We must continue to move forward.”
As the Project Wichita process develops, updates will be shared with people and the news media through a new website at www.projectwichita.org, news releases and social media sites including Facebook and Twitter.
Media: For more information about Project Wichita or to schedule media interviews, contact Cara Kliewer at carakliewer@gmail.com.