City focuses on keeping annual event safe
The City of Wichita is working to provide some security assistance during the annual College Hill Halloween trick-or-treating party on Saturday, Oct. 31. Last year, more than 4,000 children and their parents converged on the east Wichita neighborhood, and the same numbers are projected for this year. With so many people walking in a heavily trafficked area of town, the City is taking the necessary steps to ensure that both pedestrians and motorists have a safe evening. Those safety precautions include:
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Street closures: Fountain and Belmont Streets will be closed from Douglas to First Street. Broadview will be closed from Douglas to Second Street. No through traffic will be allowed from 5 to 11 p.m.; only College Hill residents will be allowed to enter and exit those streets.
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Security: Wichita police officers will be stationed in the neighborhood from 7 to 11 p.m.
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Missing children: A Wichita Police Department “missing child reunion point” will be located at Broadview and First Street. Parents/guardians are encouraged to point out this location to children before they begin trick-or-treating so they know where to go should they become separated.
Wichita City Council Member Sue Schlapp, whose district includes the College Hill neighborhood, said the evening’s safety measures are just another example of the City’s ongoing commitment to public safety. Schlapp added that costs associated with security and police staffing will be covered by donations. Those donations are currently being collected by the nonprofit Arts Council organization that actively promotes and encourages artistic and creative expression by the community’s youth. To date, $350 remains to be raised to cover all expenses. Individuals interested in making a donation may send them to the Arts Council, 334 N. Mead, Wichita, Kan. 67202.
“Private citizens have provided funding to keep the event safe,” Schlapp said.
Cornejo & Son’s will be providing the street barricades, and an anonymous donor made a significant donation to offset costs.
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