by John Sorce
john.sorce@theleaven.org
OLATHE — A one-of-a-kind development is coming to Olathe.
Ground was broken for the fully accessible Halo Ridge development at the southwest corner of Renner Road and 119th St. on Feb. 12.
Archbishop Shawn McKnight was unable to make the groundbreaking, but toured the Halo Care Collective building on Jan. 23.
The development will include Michael’s WonderWorld, a fully accessible theme park with over 20 rides and attractions built to be enjoyed by visitors of every ability.
The park will be named for Michael Arkell, the son of Sarah and James Arkell and grandson of Church of the Nativity, Leawood, parishioners and longtime Catholic supporters Rita and Lamar Hunt Jr. The Arkells are members of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood.
Michael was born with a rare genetic condition, is nonverbal, is fed through a tube and relies on a wheelchair for mobility.
“We are building a city within a city,” said James Arkell, who is also the COO of Loretto Holdings. “The pain and unnecessary suffering that I have watched my family go through while trying to navigate services for our son Michael is the reason we are doing this.”
Halo Ridge will feature a sports arena that will contain two ice rinks and serve as a national hub for adaptive sports events.
The project will also include the first major flagship accessible hotel in the world along with dining and entertainment options — all of which will be designed to ensure every guest has a positive experience regardless of ability.
“This is about community leaders coming together to do more than just say that we care about inclusivity or accessibility,” said Olathe Mayor John Bacon. “Today, we are proving it.”
The project had been on Arkell’s radar for quite some time. But things really started to take shape after the family visited Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio.
Seeing the impact of what something similar had on the people there made a lasting impression.
“I think what really hooked us on this transformational project for our community and the state of Kansas was seeing what will be coming here in action in another location,” said Michael Wilkes, retired city manager of Olathe.
“Being able to see what it means to the lives of people was amazing,” he added.
But the vision is about much more than entertainment. Halo Ridge will be a destination where families can come for entertainment, stay at the inclusive hotel and receive health care, all in one place.
One of the medical providers that will be part of the development is Dr. Nicole Kurlbaum, a general dentist with Kurlbaum Dental.
Kurlbaum runs a practice with her husband and has offices in Overland Park and Prairie Village. But they have started mobile dentistry, which in turn has led to them taking care of the special-needs population.
“One of the biggest responsibilities that is given to health care providers is to identify and challenge the barriers that stand between our patients and the care they need,” Kurlbaum said.
“I really believe that by partnering with the providers here,” she continued, “we’re going to be able to make a significant, appreciable difference for the special-needs community.”
The Kansas Health Foundation has made a $1 million commitment to help with the Halo Care Collective. But, as their president and CEO Ed O’Malley stated, more help is needed.
“The danger with an event like today is for it to feel like a finish line when it’s just the starting line,” O’Malley said. “We need more donors and investors, so let’s do what we can to fan the flames of this incredible mission.
“This is a place of hope, and we need more institutions with this spirit of collaboration if we’re going to improve the lives of those who need us the most.”
Hunt Jr. believes the project will help the community recognize the dignity of each person, regardless of his or her needs.
“This project brings us more to the idea of goodness and wisdom,” Hunt Jr. said. “Goodness means thinking of others first and yourself last.
“I’m reminded of a very famous Catholic saint, St. John Paul II, who said, ‘Let us look deeply into the dignity of the human person.’ That’s exactly what this project is going to do for all of us, is to look at that dignity of all humanity and really lift it up.”
Also on hand for the groundbreaking was Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. She shared the sentiment and feels the outcome of the project will be life-changing for many.
“I am in awe of what we are creating together and what it will mean — not just for the disabled community, but the entire community and the entire state,” Kelly said.
“The vision is bold, the direction is clear and the outcome will be life-changing for so many,” she added.
“We’re not here for ourselves,” Arkell said. “We’re here for individuals and families like ours. Families who deserve better support, clearer paths and a community that supports them.
“Halo Ridge is more than any other retail development or entertainment complex. When it’s complete, it will represent a city within a city and a network of organizations working together to innovate, educate and improve the lives of the entire IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) community.”
To learn more about the project, go online to: michaelswonderworld.com.
