Vision project sees improved amenities, entertainment opportunities in Fort Scott's future

Fort Scott -- The downtown park and gazebo as a center of civic life and developing the Marmaton River as an asset are two long-term goals developed as elements in the rejuvenation of Fort Scott.

The goals came from a revitalization project created at a vision retreat in January that outlined five goals and a vision statement outlining how the community of Fort Scott wants to be perceived by outside cities 10 years from now.

The project began in August under the guidance of Terry Woodbury, president of Kansas Communities L.L.C., an organization aimed at reinvigorating smaller towns across the state.

Fort Scott resident Lindsay Madison, one of nine local residents at the retreat, said the gazebo should be a place where large or small audiences can view a wide variety of entertainment events such as musicals, plays, company picnics and fund-raisers. Some suggestions the group mentioned for entertainment or specialty events include a barbecue contest, a health fair, auctions, live radio broadcasts, pep rallies, prayer services and breakfasts, a Halloween contest, jazz and blues festivals, public forums, etc.

"There are so many things you could have down there, the possibilities are endless," she said.

Madison said, "I think the whole idea of this is to create more activity in our downtown."

She said the group focused at the 8-hour retreat on establishing consistent events at the gazebo -- taking place each month -- like an art walk, a farmer's market or an antique show. In Springfield, Mo., a committee-established art walk is held the first Friday of each month at its downtown square.

The gazebo and the downtown park have been a project coordinated by local banker Dean Mann, who is also involved in the revitalization project. The park with the gazebo is located on the southeast corner of First and Main streets. Mann and the Downtown Revitalization Committee put the project into motion several years ago, and construction was completed in October.

Each goal is supported by an action team that will oversee its development, as well as a list of subgoals to be completed in 5 years, 2 years, and 90 days. The gazebo action team members are Tom Braker, Carolyn Banks, Kathy Dancer, Kelley Collins, Connie Tedd, Greg Kuplen, Barbara Albright, Martha Jane Gentry, Carla Bryant Farmer, Christa Horn and Madison. The group is expected to meet March 14.

The ultimate goal in five years and two years is to host weekly events from March to October drawing 150 to 250 attendees. The events would be geared toward a multi-generational audience. In 90 days the action team will contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce to create a part-time position or possibly an internship, through the Fort Scott Community College, to oversee scheduling of entertainment events and how to market events that might be conducted at park.

The second goal created at the vision retreat was to develop the Marmaton River as an asset, which centers around providing much of what the downtown park will be offering: entertainment.

Mann conceived the goal and has been coming up developmental strategies and ideas.

"The older you get, the more things you've seen, and then some things hit you between the eyes," Mann said, when asked how the idea came about. "Developing the river as an asset did just that."

Growing up in Shreveport, La., Mann said, the community didn't utilize the Red River as a source of entertainment or recreation. But Shreveport later realized the river could be an asset.

Today, the Red River District combines restaurants, entertainment establishments and retail developments in downtown Shreveport.

"They started to develop things on the river front that brought people together," Mann said.

"People like to see water, it's human nature to be around water. Prime real estate is around a coast or stream or lake."

Mann and his wife, Becky Mann, visited Jenks, Okla., a small town near Tulsa. They discovered the town is thriving after they constructed the Oklahoma Aquarium and positioned it on the Arkansas River. The aquarium offers more than 200 marine and aquatic animal exhibits and has led to other real estate developments like shops, fountains and specialty restaurants.

"People go there just to stroll around. It's really a fun place to go."

"We have a river, and everybody treats it as an eyesore," Mann said.

Mann has mapped out the project, which is in the early stages of development, in his bank office.

Mann said configuration of the Marmaton River limits access for recreational activities, in part because of the limited flow of the river, which is revived after consistent rain. One of the ways the river can have a steady flow would be to construct low-water dams.

Once the dams are in place, brush and trees along the river's edge, starting near the Marmaton River Bridge on north National Ave., can be removed and replaced with bike and hiking trails leading to Gunn Park, Mann said. "It will be a river walk."

He said residents and tourists can also paddle and canoe down the river since, the dams will provide a constant water level.

Another long-range plan for the river walk is to install a botanical garden near the river, adding another natural element.

"It can be educational for children and for seniors so they can get to actually see and experience what grows in the outdoors, instead of studying it in a book," Mann said.

When he introduced the plan at the vision retreat Jan. 26, Mann said the idea was well-received -- enough for the attendees to vote it in as one of the five goals.

The river walk action team members are Ralph Hall, Mike Lakeman, Liz Meyer, Jeff Sweetser, Arnold Schofield, James Wood, Thom Prue, Barbara Wood, Jim Adams and Julie Righter.