Wichita Council Defers Proposed Park and School Land Swap Until November
The City of Wichita and USD 259 are discussing a land swap involving Claud Lambe Park and Columbine Park, which the school district would gain control of to build new schools. In return, the city would receive land containing Adams…
Wichita Hutchinson Plus, KS, October 13, 2026 —
The City of Wichita and Wichita Public Schools, also known as USD 259, are discussing a land swap involving two city parks and two school properties. Under the proposal, the school district would gain control of Claud Lambe Park and Columbine Park to build new schools. The city would receive two plots of land containing the outdated Adams Elementary and McLean Elementary buildings.
The Wichita City Council has deferred a decision on the proposal until November after receiving community feedback. The council has not made a final decision, and the proposal remains under discussion.
The information provided does not specify the terms of the proposed exchange, the acreage or location of the properties, or how the land and buildings would be valued. It also does not detail the community feedback or describe any changes made to the proposal in response.
The summary does not identify a specific November meeting date or say when construction of the proposed schools might begin. It also does not state what would happen to the Adams and McLean buildings after the city receives the properties. Those details were not provided.
For now, the central question before the council is whether to approve the proposed exchange of the two parks for the properties containing the former school buildings. A decision is expected in November, but no outcome has been reported.
Story summarized from the original created by Cale Chapman on www.kwch.com, see more information here.
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