Salina and Saline County want to redesign the shared government spaces downtown and need public participation to do so.
A series of study sessions of the city and county governing bodies will take place this week, leading up to an open day with initial concepts for the public on Thursday evening.
These study sessions, which are considered public meetings, are led by the TreanorHL advisory group, which is working to develop a vision for a government campus master plan.
The first two learning sessions will be held on Tuesday, August 20th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesday, August 21st, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 203 N. 10th St., just west of Memorial Hall.
The final learning session will be on Thursday, August 22nd from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Salina Arts Center, 242 S. Santa Fe Ave. Later that day, the Arts Center will host an open house from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
This open day, a come-and-go event, will encourage the public to take a look at the initial concepts from the study sessions and provide direct input.
“Members of the leadership team and advisory team will be on site to answer questions,” the county said. “Gathering feedback from the public is a critical part of this process.”
“One of the main goals of this project is to create a coherent and efficient master plan for the campus. Community engagement and input play a large role in this. We first review the design concepts to ensure that the final recommendation reflects the future vision of the campus.”
Which Salina and Saline County government buildings are discussed?
According to a flyer from the district about this vision, the city and the district have shared the city and district building since 1969, which is used both as a “town hall” and as a “district court”.
“As the needs of both authorities have changed, the premises of this joint facility have become premium real estate,” the flyer said.
The downtown area under investigation includes the City-County Building, Memorial Hall, the Salina Police Department, the former Saline County Jail and Sheriff’s Office, the Saline County Health Department, and other facilities and areas.
