David Corliss, Lawrence City Manager, said the last half of 2014 was full of successes for the city and one major disappointment.
Corliss told the Central Lawrence Rotarians on January 28 that one of the major successes was the roll out of curbside recycling with the big blue carts being delivered to Lawrence homes.
“A push in 2015 is going to be further education about recycling,” he said.
The opening of Lawrence VenturePark, a business park on K-10 for business and individual development was accomplished when 200 acres were made available to be divided into development parcels.
Sports Pavilion Lawrence at Rock Chalk Park opened and in the first two months the recreation facility had 116,000 visitors.
Nine different road construction projects were either finished or almost completed including construction at 23rd and Iowa and a new turn lane at 6th and Iowa. Work continues on South Lawrence Trafficway which will connect K-10 to Iowa Street.
“There will be a lot of transportation changes in town in the next few years,” Corliss said “to accommodate growth and demographic changes.”
The disappointment was the failure of a bond issue to finance a new police facility. “We’re holding listening sessions all over town now,” Corliss said “to assess why the bond issue didn’t pass. There is still a real need.”
In the coming year a new Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant is on the drawing board as well as another new water line to North Lawrence.
“The city is growing and changing all the time,” Corliss said “and we are working hard to make it continue to be a good place to live.”
