Petition to Block Senior Center at Ward Park Started

Ongoing opposition to locating a new Senior Center at Ward Park has taken the form of an online petition through change.org.

The petition — created by the Ward Park Neighborhood Association — takes the position that the park is too small to locate the proposed 13,000 square foot senior center within the grounds of the park. The petition also raises concerns of a lack of a "rigorous evaluation process" and the loss of recreational space and opportunities at Ward Park.

The $7 million new senior center would be located on the land currently being used for the skating rink in the park.

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The petition's issues with the senior center encompass many of the arguments residents speaking in opposition as a public forum last year.

The forum came after the for the design phase of the project. At the time, Matt Elder, the Ward Councilor for the area, voiced his objections to the process and not being informed of the location earlier. He then organized the public forum to discuss the location of the senior center at Ward Park.

City officials have said that the construction of the center would increase chances of improvements to the park being funded through grants.

Over 300 people have signed on to voice their opposition to the location of the senior center. The petition's goal is 1,000.