We know what the short-term future has in store for Quaker Park in terms of an upcoming addition; however, what does the long term hold for the space in east Emporia?
That was a question put to the public by Healthier Lyon County Thursday night as it hosted an ice cream social in the park at 28 Sylvan Street. During the event, residents could take their pick of some frosty treats and also fill out a survey that has been circulating both in-person and online in recent weeks, seeking feedback from the community as to what additional amenities residents want to see added to help elevate the space.
Healthier Lyon County Healthy Pathways Coordinator Deon Morrow, in an interview with KVOE News, stated that the community has already stated what it did not want when it came together to stop the park from being turned into a housing development back in 2024 through a widely supported petition campaign. He says giving the community a voice as to what it does want was the next logical step.
As KVOE News reported earlier this year, the park is already set to receive a new 10-foot climbing wall thanks in large part to a $10,000 grant awarded by Evergy. In addition to this, the City of Emporia has also stated its commitment to helping support additional improvements; however, no dollar amounts have been announced to that end just yet.
In addition to the feedback gathered on Thursday, Morrow says the social was a great opportunity to speak with residents of the area, some of whom have been there for decades, to help build stronger relationships between those individuals and Healthier Lyon County.
Morrow says those relationships will be vital moving forward as the stories of residents help paint the full picture of where we have been and where we can go as a community.
For those who were unable to attend Thursday’s social, the survey can be found online through Healthier Lyon County’s various social media pages. The survey will continue circulating until the end of the year, at which time Morrow says they will compile the feedback from community members for a future presentation to current and future partners, such as the city commission.
As of Thursday, Morrow says just under 50 individuals have responded to the survey, which is right on track with what they were hoping for in terms of response.
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By: Tagan Trahoon
September 25th, 2025 at 7:08 PM