#125 Chapin/Ashley Dog Park – 2400 E MacArthur Road
This park is the former site of a landfill. It has a model airplane flying area , a mountain bike trail, walking trail and it includes Wichita’s first dog park. Arson Canine Ashley’s Memorial Dog Park.
I actually had the pleasure of meeting Ashley. Her partner, Wichita Fire Investigator Don Birmingham is married to a Wichita Broadcast Legend, Stephanie Bergmann. And while I don’t like to name-drop, I am friends with both of them.
Don met Ashley in April 1993, while she was still in training. During their six years together, Don and K-9 Ashley worked 161 fire scenes that resulted in 33 felony arrests for arson, aggravated arson and homicide.K-9 Ashley enjoyed two years of retirement before passing away on September 11, 2001.
Jumping ahead to December 2009, the Park board unanimously approved naming the park after Ashley, in recognition of her service to the Wichita Fire Department as the first accelerant detection canine in the city.
What we did: As I mentioned, we are friends with Ashley’s work partner and her loving family. So we definitely took a moment to enjoy the dog park.
Next we went to the model airplane field and got to watch a man practicing his landings on the runway.
Finally, we stopped at the playground.
There is a memorial park bench. Here’s what Jeremy discovered: The family commissioned the memorial bench for Amber Lynn Haehn. Who was tragically kidnapped and murdered in 1978. I have no idea how to end this post. This is the 125th park and the last one for us to visit.
We thank you all for joining us on this three year long adventure. With summer coming I want to say get out and see the parks. Wichita has a great deal of fun to offer… and it’s mostly free.
In 2022, Wichita opened a new park, with an interesting history, check out Sherwood Glen Park.