The Save Quaker Park petition may well have enough signatures to prompt a change in plan for Emporia city government. The question is whether those signatures are valid, and word on that is still a few days away.
The city’s petition window closes at 5 pm Monday. Over 600 signatures have already been gathered. At least 462 valid signatures from residents in the Emporia city limits are needed to force the city to either end the potential sale process or to put the question on an upcoming ballot.
Quaker Park covers a little more than half an acre at First and Sylvan with green space and a basketball court. Petition organizer Steve Rader says the space is needed as a park simply because there isn’t a public park nearby — especially on the south side of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks.
The petition process revived after the Emporia City Commission had a petition window last year after the Emporia Land Bank asked to manage the land for three homes, two for private development and one for Habitat for Humanity. Last year’s petition gained a few signatures.
Petitions are currently available at Tallgrass Art & Frame, 615 Commercial, between 10 am and 3 pm Saturday. They are also at 4th Avenue Confectionary, 9 East Fourth, between 10 am to 2 pm Saturday and 11 am to 2 pm Sunday.
