The construction of a new skate park in the Emporia City Limits will be a phased effort with administration currently in phase one.
The main focus of phase one is deciding the ideal location for the project after original plans to replace the current Santa Fe Skate Park fell through following lease negotiations with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. At this time, it appears the project will be located within Whittier Park following a review of all city parks last year according to City Manager Trey Cocking.
Vice Mayor Susan Brinkman says with Whittier likely to house the project, the question now up in the air is where within Whittier should the park be constructed.
Brinkman shared these comments following a community forum on the park Wednesday evening. The forum follows the completion of a recent community survey seeking input into what citizens would like to see included as part of the construction effort.
City Manager Trey Cocking says the survey gave the city a lot to go off of, however, it is unlikely everything can be added in one swoop. With that in mind, Cocking says the ideal location will be an area that can accommodate future expansion.
At this time the city is looking to contract with an architecture firm to draw up a potential master plan for the skate park. Cocking says additional community forums will follow that process.
In recent weeks, some residents have voiced their displeasure to the progress that has been made toward construction to this point. While speaking with KVOE News Wednesday evening, both Brinkman and Cocking stated that while the city wants the project to be completed as soon as possible, it also does not want to rush the process and deliver an unsatisfactory product to the community given the large amount of investment going into it.
The $500,000 skate park project is being funded in part by $250,000 from the city’s Lake Kahola Fund and a $250,000 anonymous donation.
