Updated: Neighbors oppose possible sale of east Wichita park; Wesley responds

The Wichita Park Board is opposing the possible sale of Sleepy Hollow Park after Wesley Medical Center expressed interest in buying it.

Despite the vote by the park board, which is largely symbolic, the city remains poised to put out a request for proposals that would allow private investors to submit offers on the developed part of 95-year-old Sleepy Hollow Park, a block north of Central at Rutan. The city is asking for at least $480,000 for the 1.46-acre parkland immediately south of the Wesley parking garage.

Wesley wants to turn east Wichita park into parking lot, would fund new park project

The parkland at issue includes a stream, a stone-lined footbridge, park benches, a picnic table, a drinking fountain and a playground. Undeveloped parts of the park that extend north to MacDonald Golf Course would not be part of the sale.

Any sale would have to be approved by the Wichita City Council.

Parks and Recreation Director Troy Houtman said the city would likely try to negotiate a higher price and other incentives as part of a sale.

“The idea is that all that funding will go back in that area,” Houtman said of Sleepy Hollow and MacDonald neighborhoods, such as a walking trail or fitness equipment.

“There’s also been some talks about carving out a piece of property that’s at MacDonald Golf Course,” he said. “That might be an opportunity to put in some equipment there.”

But neighbors weren’t buying it.

“I don’t want to stand in the way of improvement,” said Amanda Spell, who lives near the park. “If we can get a lot of money and make a great new park, by all means, that’s awesome. I just don’t have faith that Wesley’s going to hold up their end and not just keep going further.”

The board voted 6-0 Monday evening to reject the plan, following a flurry of emails from upset park users who showed up to the meeting to take a firm stance that even considering the sale is inappropriate.

City guidelines do not require the city to put parkland up for sale when a private party expresses interest. Houtman said the city’s standard practice is to issue an RFP when a party expresses interest in buying.

“They (Wesley) do not have a right to our public land,” said Brock Traffas, who goes to the park multiple times a week with his children. “I really can’t believe it has to be advocated to the board that is entrusted with our public parks, but swapping green space for carbon-intensive vehicular infrastructure in the middle of a climate crisis is really about as backwards as you could be.”

“It’s really unacceptable to consider selling a neighborhood’s beloved public space and turn it into what is rumored to be private parking,” he said. “If anything, this park deserves a major upgrade given how beloved it is.”

More than 20 Sleepy Hollow and MacDonald neighborhood residents showed up to Monday afternoon’s Park Board meeting to oppose the sale, and they sent 38 emails over the weekend asking the park board to vote against the proposal.

Josh Siebenaler, acting president of the MacDonald Neighborhood Association, expressed frustration with Wesley’s lack of communication with its neighborhoods.

“Wesley as an organization has stomped over the neighboring community and, honestly, we’re pretty tired of trying to force them to be good neighbors. . . . We all want Wesley to succeed as an institution, many of our neighbors work at Wesley and we recognize that they’re a major employer in the city, but this is not the way to do so,” Siebenaler said. “So my ask for the board here is to nip this sale in the bud and let’s not let Wesley literally and figuratively bulldoze this pocket park.”

The neighborhood residents and park users applauded the Park Board decision. Board President Chris Pumpelly expressed frustration that representatives from Wesley did not show up to the meeting to explain why they need the park.

“I think we could probably avoid a lot of the frustration if we could have an open discussion about what their needs are,” Pumpelly said. “Maybe there’s some overwhelming need for this, but we just don’t know. It doesn’t seem very clear.”

“I’ve heard more than enough today to solidify how I feel about it,” Park Board member Eddie Fahnestock said. “I haven’t heard anything from Wesley. . . . If it is truly about parking, they have other opportunities on that campus.”

Wesley responds

Wesley officials were not immediately available for comment Monday evening, but on Tuesday morning the company’s spokesperson expressed concern that they weren’t aware that the park board would discuss the proposed sale.

“It is unfortunate Wesley was not aware the issue had been added to the Wichita Park Board’s meeting agenda,” Dave Stewart, marketing director of Wesley said in a statement. “Wesley has been in talks with the City of Wichita for some time about the acquisition of Sleepy Hollow Park in an effort to provide additional parking for the growing number of patients and families who utilize our facility.

“Had we been aware the issue would be discussed at Monday’s meeting, the hospital would have been represented so we could better explain its needs and plans for the park area,” he said.

Stewart said Wesley’s plan would include funding a “brand new neighborhood park to replace the current location, which is dated in both design and equipment.”

Wesley suggests the new park be developed due east of the existing park, Stewart said. That tract of land is undeveloped green space that’s already part of Sleepy Hollow Park.

“While the final location of any new park would be determined by the Wichita Park Board, we believe that a location on the other side of Vassar Street would provide more convenient access for neighborhood residents and eliminate the need for children to cross the street to reach the playground,” Stewart said.