Riverfront Park Pavilion is almost ready for public use.

“We have to plant grass and landscape,” Jerry Witt, chairman of the Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority (FSBCRA), said.

The FSBCRA envisions the pavilion will be used for family gatherings or public concerts or meetings, according to  Witt.

There will be a grand opening this spring for the pavilion.

“We’re gearing towards a ribbon cutting following a Chamber of Commerce Coffee on May 17 at 8:45 a.m.,” Witt said.

“That evening at 6 p.m. there will be hot dogs, watermelon, and desserts,” he said. “Then a free country music concert at 6:30 p.m. Jason Richison, Kinley Rice and Rick Cook and the Seminole Band will be here.”

The $38,000 pavilion was funded by a matching grant where  80 percent was provided by a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks grant, and the FSBCRA paying 20 percent through local fundraising, Witt said.

Schenkel Contracting, Fort Scott,  constructed the building purchased from Lester Building Systems of Minnesota, starting in early fall.

The 30 by 50 by 12-foot wooden frame, with commercial scissor trusses,  a steel roof and gable ends, has electricity and lights.

The pavilion is located east of the parking area just inside Riverfront Park in the Belltown Trail area, north of the Marmaton River.

The next project of the FSBCRA is an overlook structure, Witt said.

“We will be building an overlook at the convergence of  Mill Creek and the Marmaton River,” Witt said. “It will be a five-sided structure with some seating. It’s for educational and recreational purposes.”

Each side of the overlook will be 14 feet and it will be 24 feet across.

There will be a 40 foot American Disabilities Act compliant boardwalk leading to the overlook.

“The Westar Green Team is supplying the lumber and milling, the Riverfront Authority will supply labor,” Witt said.

Construction will begin in late spring or early summer, he said, with the contractor to yet be determined.

The FSBCRA is getting preliminary costs for possible lighting options in the park, Witt said.

In addition, the board is submitting a grant application for playground equipment, he said.

“It will be rustic logs and nature-type things for the kids,” Witt said.

The FSBCRA is regrouping for a historic bridge relocation to the park.

“We are looking at further grants,” Witt said. “We rejected the low bid because it was higher than the engineer thought it should be. The engineer thought it should $750,000, the low bid was $1.2 million, so we are starting over.”

The FSBCRA meets monthly.

For more information, contact Witt at 620-215-4817.

For a previous story on the FSBCRA, click here:

Riverfront Park Pavilion Work Has Begun

Riverfront Park Pavillion Coming Spring 2018

Area parks have had some improvements over the winter, with the placement of wayfaring signs.

There are nine signs total: Ellis Park Trail, Bell Town Trail, Riverfront Loop Trail, Fort Scott Community College Trail, three (including a new trail) at Gunn Park, Uniontown Trail, and the future Industrial Park Trail, according to  Jody Hoener, chair of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, that is coordinating the project.

Ellis Park Trail on Twelfth Street and Bell Town Trail in Riverfront Park have completed kiosks.

The next signs to go up will be the Riverfront Loop Trail and the Fort Scott Community College Trail.

It’s been a collaborative effort.

The Wayfinding Signs and Kiosks Project is funded by an American Planning Association-Kansas Chapter and Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant.

Fort Scott High School carpentry classes have constructed the kiosks.

Trail maps were designed by Simon Ballou. Darren Crays, Designing Edge Graphics, is printing and installing the maps.

The City of Fort Scott is providing the installation of the kiosks.

Wayfinding signs and kiosks are part of creating a system of non-motorized transportation in the area, according to Hoener.  Ensuring consistent signage design and graphics across all signs is best practice to make trails easily identifiable, she said.

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team consists of Jerry Witt (Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority), Frank Halsey (Gunn Park Trails Volunteers), Lindsay Madison (Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce), Todd Farrell (City of Fort Scott) and Jody Hoener ((Mercy Hospital).