In a community where Junior League football is king, everyone is excited about plans for a new, state-of-the-art eight-field football complex in Northeast Wichita.
Renderings were recently released for the complex that includes seven full-size turf football fields, one 80-yard junior turf field, a restroom/concessions building, food truck parking, additional parking, and the addition of a playground and fitness equipment in Glen Dey (formerly Grove) Park.
Wichita District 1 City Councilman Brandon Johnson says an awards plaza is planned to recognize individuals who played in Wichita’s Junior League and went on to big achievements in football.
“Like D’Angelo Evans,” says Johnson. “He didn’t go pro, but he made a big impact in Nebraska.”
In addition, the design includes a statue to be placed in the center of the park’s existing roundabout.
Johnson wouldn’t say who the statue will feature, but Wichitans may have a reasonable guess.
“It’s going to be amazing,” said Johnson about the new complex that he hopes will be completed in time for the 2025 football season.
Estimated costs for the complex is $20 million. Johnson hopes to get support for using some city capital improvement funds for the project, but says the complex will be a public/private partnership with individuals and corporations contributing to the project.
The park, still referred to by the community as Grove Park, had been a favored location for Junior League football games, but for the past few three years play was held at South Lake Soccer Complex, at 47th and Meridian in Southwest Wichita.
Recently, the Wichita Park and Recreation Dept. announced a partnership with Wichita Public Schools that will move Junior League play to WPS high school fields for the 2024 season.
Johnson says that move is an interim step to get the teams out of what he admits is an inferior situation.
South Lake wasn’t designed for football and lacked score boards, goal posts, bleachers and appropriate fencing.
The new football complex is part of the city’s plan to invest in and refocus junior league football, which has been met with some opposition. .
Instead of a focus on winning and a strong team structure that has dominated the league for decades, the focus will be on teaching players the fundamentals of football, and on making great athletes and great students.
