Emporia park is saved, what next steps will the city take?
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A community saved a local park, and the City is now looking to improve it.
The City of Emporia was trying to sell the park for a housing development. People in the community started a petition to save the park, which collected more than 800 signatures, with only 462 needed. The city commission validated the advocate’s efforts during a May 1, 2024 commission meeting.
So, what’s next for the park? The city has been talking to the petition’s chief organizers to determine the next steps. They spoke on Monday, May 6, and will catch up in a couple of weeks.
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Working for you, 27 News spoke to Trey Cocking, Emporia City Manager, and he said he wants to improve the park for neighbors.
“I think I really want a spot for kids, so I don’t know what that is,” Cocking said. “I don’t know whether that’s sports fields or if it’s playground equipment. I think that still really needs to be teased out, and figure out what that looks like. But I do think it’s important, something that kids can enjoy and have that as recreation space.”
Organizers of the petition to save the park say the park has not been improved in decades.
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