Emporia commissioners move forward on $250k skate park

EMPOIRA (KSNT) - After an anonymous quarter-million-dollar donation and subsequent leasing issues, plans to build a renovated skate park in Emporia were moved to a new location.

In 2021, 13-year-old Maddox Gutierrez started a petition to improve the Santa Fe Skate Park in Emporia. After the anonymous donation, the project ran into an issue: BNSF was the owner of the Santa Fe Skate Park land and only leased the property to the city under the condition it was used for ballparks.

A new location was found on city-owned land at Whitter Park. In March, the City of Emporia entered an agreement with Foster Designs Associates, LLC to develop Witter Park to include the skate park. The skatepark design will be drafted by the American Ramp Company out of Joplin, MO.

"After extensive research was completed, the city commission determined that the best location would be Whittier Park," Emporia Communications Manager Christine Torrens said. "The City of Emporia hired Foster and Associates April of 2023 to complete a master design for Whittier Park. Now that the location of the skateboard park is approved, the city will move forward with design."

The Emporia County Commission met on July 5 to discuss moving the skate park and to see a proposed render of the site.