Petitioners seeking to preserve Ward Park submitted over 500 signatures to the City Council and Mayor Arthur Vigeant Monday night.

The petition was started this month following the proposal late last year to place a new Senior Center in Ward Park. The $7 million senior center would be located in the corner of the park that currently features a skating rink.

It would be up to the mayor to change the location of the proposed senior center, according to officials. The council has already put $500,000 towards a design study for the center in the Ward Park location.

The petition — created by the Ward Park Neighborhood Association — takes the position that the park is too small to serve as a location for the proposed 13,000 square foot senior center. The petition was organized through change.org.