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Island Park
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
| May 2, 2004--It is a town of folks we’re talking about in Winfield. Where children have a new reason to go to the park. And if you want to see what volunteers can do and what community spirit is all about, then
go south to Cowley County. |
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In Winfield, the Island Park I remember was a simple place. A circular piece of land surrounded by water and inhabited by ducks, fisherman, and picnic lovers.
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But today, that has all changed. Winfield’s Island Park has grown up and gone modern. The ducks are still there, it’s still quiet, but there is a community spirit that has taken hold and built a playground of dreams for the children of the town. |
Winfield now has a new 15,000 square foot community playground at Island Park. Wichita has nothing like it….and neither do many major cities, but this small community made it happen.
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Lois Loucks was the one who came up with the idea as a Rotary Club project.
“Winfield is different. We have a can-do attitude.”
A New York architectural firm designed the playground, and from then on Winfield volunteers made it a reality. |
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Lois Loucks: “I was overwhelmed with 1700 people working on the project, plus we raised 220 thousand dollars all by donations. There is no tax money in this playground at all.” |
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But there are volunteers, everywhere you look!
Lois is proud of the work they’ve done. For her the task would have been overwhelming anyplace but Winfield. |
“They say if we had hired it done, it would be worth over 660,000 dollars.”
The playground is a wonderland for children…creative, exciting, and fun. |
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And there are Winfield memories here too in the form of miniature storefronts. There is Marsh’s shoe store, Albright Real Estate….and a bakery.
In the interest of full journalistic disclosure, it is my dad’s bakery the Peerless Bakery that stood on Main Street for nearly 50 years. What an honor!
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The planning for this Children’s park took over a year…but to build it…with volunteers—much shorter.
Lois Loucks: “We started on a Tuesday morning and we were done by Sunday night.”
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“Folks took their vacation to work out here all week, now that is a sacrifice.”
A little town with a lot of spirit, and many happy children.
Larry’s Note: If you would like to visit the playground. It is located on the North end of Main Street in Island Park. |
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