Tagged: Parks and Tourism

People who enjoy boating on the Arkansas River now have a new place to access the river.

A public use floating dock was installed recently on the river behind Gander Mountain in downtown Wichita. 

The new dock was part of a long-time comprehensive plan by the Ark River Coalition and the city’s park board. The Wichita City Council adopted a resolution agreeing to allow for public use of the dock for the next decade.

State officials say travel and tourism in Kansas generated almost $8 billion in 2011. Becky Blake, the state director of tourism, says 32 million people visited Kansas in 2011 -- and each visitor spent about $236.

The budgets proposed by the Kansas House and Senate include a plan to buy land in northeast Kansas for a new park.

The state parks department says it wants to buy 824 acres in Jefferson County for a park that would be used primarily for hunting and hiking.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports the three parcels of land in southern Jefferson County, east of Perry, have an appraised value of $1.2 million.

There is free admission to all state parks Saturday for an open house hosted by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.

It will also be the last chance to buy off-season annual camping and vehicle permits before the prices go up April 1.

For more information about each park’s open house events, visit ksoutdoors.com.