Comments on: Wichita http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/ The Oklahoman's Steve Lackmeyer covers downtown OKC brick by brick. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:24:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: jon http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-34876 jon Fri, 15 Jul 2011 03:36:46 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-34876 I live in Nashville. It's about 1.5 mil in the metro area. It's nice but having lived in Wichita for 10 years I do miss the ability to get from one side of the city to the other in 15 mins. Big is NOT always better. My commute here is 35 miles into Nashville. Wichita maybe 15. Taxes are high here in Davidson Co. and there is a liberal political bent that I can't stand in the city--which is why I live in in another country. Nashville has a city/county combined gov. which means less citizen say in how things are done. Wichita is a great size. You have all you really need really--except mountains and ocean. I live in Nashville. It’s about 1.5 mil in the metro area. It’s nice but having lived in Wichita for 10 years I do miss the ability to get from one side of the city to the other in 15 mins. Big is NOT always better. My commute here is 35 miles into Nashville. Wichita maybe 15. Taxes are high here in Davidson Co. and there is a liberal political bent that I can’t stand in the city–which is why I live in in another country. Nashville has a city/county combined gov. which means less citizen say in how things are done. Wichita is a great size. You have all you really need really–except mountains and ocean.

]]> By: Arena talk: Wichita- News Robot http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-17528 Arena talk: Wichita- News Robot Tue, 26 Oct 2010 01:34:07 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-17528 [...] in this is because if you’ve read Steve Lackmeyer’s blog you saw how Wichita is a model of downtown accessability that OKC can follow. Although to be fair, Steve did mention the crime problem in Wichita’s [...] [...] in this is because if you’ve read Steve Lackmeyer’s blog you saw how Wichita is a model of downtown accessability that OKC can follow. Although to be fair, Steve did mention the crime problem in Wichita’s [...]

]]> By: kim http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-6884 kim Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:54:39 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-6884 I have lived in Wichita for 56 years. I have NO plans on ever leaving. I raised a family here, and I will live the rest of my days here. I have watched Wichita grow from 280,000 folks, to 390,000. The statues in the parks are awesome. Watson Park, has life size Wizard of Oz statues, they are so real looking. The traffic in Wichita, is well distributed between Highway 54, Canal Route, Bypass and K-96. There is never congestion on the roadways like there is in OKC. From one side of town to the other takes about 20-30 minutes, due to the Kellogg flyover. The cost of living is low in Wichita compared to other cities in the US. We have all the ammenities that large cities have, except the high prices. I have traveled to many other places and have loved it, but, there's no place like home. I have lived in Wichita for 56 years. I have NO plans on ever leaving. I raised a family here, and I will live the rest of my days here. I have watched Wichita grow from 280,000 folks, to 390,000. The statues in the parks are awesome. Watson Park, has life size Wizard of Oz statues, they are so real looking. The traffic in Wichita, is well distributed between Highway 54, Canal Route, Bypass and K-96. There is never congestion on the roadways like there is in OKC. From one side of town to the other takes about 20-30 minutes, due to the Kellogg flyover. The cost of living is low in Wichita compared to other cities in the US. We have all the ammenities that large cities have, except the high prices. I have traveled to many other places and have loved it, but, there’s no place like home.

]]> By: Colin M. http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-5689 Colin M. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:45:52 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-5689 In reply to Jess M., The Wichita Thunder hockey still play in Wichita but as you said there indoor fotball team and their baseball team, the Wranglers were sold but wichita bought 2 new teams back, the Wingnuts for baseball and the Wild for football. And Kellogg ave. Has FINNALY fineshed construction and is 4 lanes on both sides of the highway. It is like this from Maize Rd. on the west side and to Rock Rd. on the east side of town. Interstate 135 also has 4 lanes going each way from Interstate 235 To interstate 35 (AKA The Kansas Turnpike) In reply to Jess M., The Wichita Thunder hockey still play in Wichita but as you said there indoor fotball team and their baseball team, the Wranglers were sold but wichita bought 2 new teams back, the Wingnuts for baseball and the Wild for football. And Kellogg ave. Has FINNALY fineshed construction and is 4 lanes on both sides of the highway. It is like this from Maize Rd. on the west side and to Rock Rd. on the east side of town. Interstate 135 also has 4 lanes going each way from Interstate 235 To interstate 35 (AKA The Kansas Turnpike)

]]> By: steve lackmeyer http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-243 steve lackmeyer Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:50:40 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-243 Collin, it's been a few year since I was last in Wichita. I definitely look forward to visiting there again. Collin, it’s been a few year since I was last in Wichita. I definitely look forward to visiting there again.

]]> By: colin http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-242 colin Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:06:12 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-242 hey colin again the 10 year old boy (now 11 and in the 6th grade) steve is exactly right we should be happy with where we are now but i have to say that wichita has taken a turn for the better in the downtown area they have built a new arena downtown that is named intrust bank arena that will be used for concerts and affter it is built the wichita thunder ice hockey will stop playing at the kansas colliseum in northern wichita and will start playing at Inrust bank arena and they have built a new loft complex and they are doing road construction on highway 54/ aka kellog street and i have also heard that they are going to build a new skyscraper in the downtown area and in northern wichita they built another arena by the name of Hartman Arena that is used for multi pupusses but are mainly used for the wichita wild indoor football and the highways in wichta are much esiar to navigate your way through the city than in tulsa or OKC. The wichita Wingnuts AA farm team plays at Lawrence Dumont staduim on the western side of the Arkansas river. In north eastern wichita they have a major college of Wichita State University where they play baseball and basketball. Wichita has a top 10 housing market. all around wichita is one of the better citys to live in from recreation to whatever you want. hey colin again the 10 year old boy (now 11 and in the 6th grade) steve is exactly right we should be happy with where we are now but i have to say that wichita has taken a turn for the better in the downtown area they have built a new arena downtown that is named intrust bank arena that will be used for concerts and affter it is built the wichita thunder ice hockey will stop playing at the kansas colliseum in northern wichita and will start playing at Inrust bank arena and they have built a new loft complex and they are doing road construction on highway 54/ aka kellog street and i have also heard that they are going to build a new skyscraper in the downtown area and in northern wichita they built another arena by the name of Hartman Arena that is used for multi pupusses but are mainly used for the wichita wild indoor football and the highways in wichta are much esiar to navigate your way through the city than in tulsa or OKC. The wichita Wingnuts AA farm team plays at Lawrence Dumont staduim on the western side of the Arkansas river. In north eastern wichita they have a major college of Wichita State University where they play baseball and basketball. Wichita has a top 10 housing market. all around wichita is one of the better citys to live in from recreation to whatever you want.

]]> By: steve lackmeyer http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-241 steve lackmeyer Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:37:37 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-241 Welcome to OKC Central Mr. Johnson. Good thoughts through and through. Welcome to OKC Central Mr. Johnson. Good thoughts through and through.

]]> By: Christopher Scott Johnson http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-240 Christopher Scott Johnson Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:23:36 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-240 Population Comparison (Census.gov): OKC Metro 3X's Wichit? Wichita is 1/2 the size. The Wichita MSA had 630,000 people, not including Hutchinson (60k more people) in 2003. In 2003 OKC MSA had 1,100,000 people. Wichita, unlike it's sisters cities to the south, has never experienced a decade of population decline. Furthermore, the difference I've seen between the Wichita to OKC & Tulsa, is that Wichita is not as over-built. The developement in Wichita is more thought out, more planned, and goes thru a process, from private ventures to government developements. As with most people in Kansas, even in the city, we are more modest. Is our town hindered by this? Just because people do not think of Wichita as a big city, does this matter? Does it matter if our town is a great place to raise a family? Truth is, none the less, where there is hype, you find bull. Right now, in Tulsa, people are fleeing the city to the suberbs. They are going through problems Wichita did in the early 90's. Crime and poor schools. Tulsa though a large downtown, doesn't have the same cleaner vibrant feel the more modest downtown Wichita is able to put on. None the less, all our cities in the plaines are struggling for recognition... but why should they. Again, where there is hype, there is bull. Our cities are nice, and they do have much to offer! Do we really want OKC, Tulsa, Wichita to be the next Chicago's? High crime, unfriendliness? I've been to to all the three, grew up in Wichita, and lived in Tulsa for a while to. I say let's just enjoy and be glad for what we have. If others discover the quality of life we have, than great, if not, whatever! But, yes, let us address our challenges! Wichita needs to address an economy so dependent on one industry. OKC needs to address the homeless (not bumms as previously said). Tulsa needs to address crime. I know Tulsa can learn from Wichita in some things, and visa versa. Let's work together for the sake of our region, working for a higher quality (not quantity) of life! Population Comparison (Census.gov):

OKC Metro 3X’s Wichit? Wichita is 1/2 the size.

The Wichita MSA had 630,000 people, not including Hutchinson (60k more people) in 2003. In 2003 OKC MSA had 1,100,000 people.

Wichita, unlike it’s sisters cities to the south, has never experienced a decade of population decline. Furthermore, the difference I’ve seen between the Wichita to OKC & Tulsa, is that Wichita is not as over-built. The developement in Wichita is more thought out, more planned, and goes thru a process, from private ventures to government developements.

As with most people in Kansas, even in the city, we are more modest. Is our town hindered by this? Just because people do not think of Wichita as a big city, does this matter? Does it matter if our town is a great place to raise a family?

Truth is, none the less, where there is hype, you find bull. Right now, in Tulsa, people are fleeing the city to the suberbs. They are going through problems Wichita did in the early 90′s. Crime and poor schools. Tulsa though a large downtown, doesn’t have the same cleaner vibrant feel the more modest downtown Wichita is able to put on.

None the less, all our cities in the plaines are struggling for recognition… but why should they. Again, where there is hype, there is bull. Our cities are nice, and they do have much to offer! Do we really want OKC, Tulsa, Wichita to be the next Chicago’s? High crime, unfriendliness? I’ve been to to all the three, grew up in Wichita, and lived in Tulsa for a while to. I say let’s just enjoy and be glad for what we have. If others discover the quality of life we have, than great, if not, whatever!

But, yes, let us address our challenges! Wichita needs to address an economy so dependent on one industry. OKC needs to address the homeless (not bumms as previously said). Tulsa needs to address crime. I know Tulsa can learn from Wichita in some things, and visa versa. Let’s work together for the sake of our region, working for a higher quality (not quantity) of life!

]]> By: Pedro http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-239 Pedro Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:07:10 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-239 Well I don't live in USA .But Wichita is so very pretty!!! Well I don’t live in USA .But Wichita is so very pretty!!!

]]> By: Elise Krentzel http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/comment-page-1/#comment-238 Elise Krentzel Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:26:59 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2008/05/22/wichita/#comment-238 I have never been to Wichita and this summer my son and I will visit our dear friends for 8 days. coming from the Big Apple I am very curious. of course we travel around the country though I must admit I've never been to Kansas and only once to OKC in the 70s. So it's a first. I have never been to Wichita and this summer my son and I will visit our dear friends for 8 days. coming from the Big Apple I am very curious. of course we travel around the country though I must admit I’ve never been to Kansas and only once to OKC in the 70s. So it’s a first.

]]>