#73 Lynette Woodard Park – 2750 E 18th St N
Background: Constructed under the Model Cities Program. The park was deeded to the Board of Park Commissioners in 1980 and renamed in 1984 to honor local hero, Lynette Woodard.
Lynette Woodard was born in Wichita on August 12, 1959. She won two state titles while playing basketball at Wichita North High. She went on to play college basketball at KU in 1978. She was a four-time All-American at KU and is the highest scoring woman in college basketball history.
In 1984, she was a member of the United States’ women’s basketball team that won the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. In 1985, Woodard became the first woman ever to play with the Harlem Globetrotters.
At age 38, she began playing as one of the oldest members in the newly formed American women’s professional basketball league, the WNBA. In 2017, she was named the head coach of the Winthrop Eagles women’s basketball team.
What we did: It was a little chilly, but we were happy to be out and about. The small park did not take long visit. There is a rec center named in Woodard’s honor. There is a basketball court and a small playground. I’m guessing some kids thought they were being funny by writing cuss words on the equipment and drawing a penis on everything. Too bad they disgraced a park named after one of Wichita’s finest.
It’s one of several parks named after a tree.. check it out.