Parks

Warner Park Master Plan

Since the City acquired Warner Memorial Park, several master plans (1966, 1978, 1987, 1992, 2002) have recommended changes to the Park. The City of Manhattan staff in 2002 prepared the most recent 10-year master plan. In 2015, a review of the Park was completed as part of the Parks and Recreation Strategic Facility Improvement Plan (SFIP). The SFIP agreed with the 2002 master plan that the Park should remain a natural area. The SFIP also recommended an updated Park master plan to investigate passive recreation opportunities.

To learn more about this project, please visit the Park Master Plan page.

Ledgestone Park Grading Project

In 2010, the City of Manhattan acquired 5.1 acres of right-of-way for construction of Miller Parkway, parkland, related utilities, and sidewalks. At that time, water lines were installed and road base constructed for the future Miller Parkway extension to Scenic Drive. Approximately 50,000 cubic yards of rock excavation from the waterline project was placed on this site. The City has used this rock as fill material for a variety of projects throughout the city, and approximately 11,000 cubic yards remained on the park site on the south side of Miller Parkway. In 2015, a portion of this land was incorporated into Roger Schultz Community Park.

In 2016, the City acquired 15 acres of parkland on the north side of Miller Parkway, west of the rock pile location. This land is now called Ledgestone Park. The Roger Schultz Park Master Plan, adopted by the City Commission in 2018, recommended the south end of Ledgestone Park be developed as a level, grassed open space for neighborhood recreation. Late 2017, Schwab-Eaton, P.A. was hired through the City's on-call engineering process to develop preliminary engineering drawings for both Schultz and Ledgestone Park sites. Schwab-Eaton finalized construction plans in early 2019. Plans call for rock fill from the Roger Schultz Park to be placed on the Ledgestone Park site. The fill will be used to create a two-acre open space in Ledgestone Park and make a similar two-acre open space in Schultz Park. Both sites will also receive topsoil and be seeded with the project that was awarded to Bayer Construction, Inc., of Manhattan, Kansas. The project is scheduled for completion by May 2019.

Roger Schultz Community Park

Loma Ridge Improvements: Phase 1

The Loma Ridge park entrance is close to many homes and is already being used to access existing park trails. This project, scheduled for late 2019, will include a gravel parking area, stormwater management features, fire department access, and rough grading of the site for future phases. These improvements will enhance park access and prepare the site for future park amenities.

Playground resurfacing to occur in May and June

Manhattan Parks and Recreation will be resurfacing playgrounds from mid-May through June. Playground closure schedule will be: 

•    Northview Playground - NOW OPEN 

•    Northeast Playground - NOW OPEN 

•    Goodnow Playground - NOW OPEN                       

•    Anneberg Playground Tentatively August 1 

Goodnow Park with new playground surfacing 

The repair schedule is weather dependent, and if dates change, we will notify the public as soon as possible. If you have any questions about this project, please email Alfonso Leyva, Park Planner, or call the Parks and Recreation office at 785-587-2754.

City Park Update 

The updates to City Park have been delayed due to recent wet weather. We are working on finishing the following updates on or before May 20: 

* Painting of the Splashpark

* New flooring in the public restroom

* Resurfacing of City Park Playground 

If you have questions about this project, please email Casey Smithson, Parks Superintendent or call our office at 587-2754. 

The Johnny Kaw Plaza is under construction, and anticipated completion is expected by the end of June. 

Northeast Park Irrigation & Lighting

The Strategic Facility Improvement Plan identified park lighting and irrigated soccer field turf as priority projects for Northeast Community Park. The City is working with Schwab-Eaton, P.A. and Orazem Scalora Engineering to design irrigation and lighting improvements.

VMI Land Tract

The City of Manhattan acquired this 99-acre site on the side of Highway K-18 in April 2019. The City envisions using the land for open space and trail connectivity in the southwest part of the community. A master plan study to determine additional uses and park amenities will occur in the future.