Emporia City Commissioners accepted a $17,000 donation from the Emporia Eastside Community Group during an action section Wednesday afternoon in the Municipal Courtroom.
The funds, which were awarded to the group by the Jones Trust, are designated to be used toward improvements at Eastside Memorial Park, located at Ninth Avenue and East Street. The Jones Trust awarded $90,000 toward a $135,000 upgrade project at the park in July, with work on basketball courts and sidewalks already underway.
Al Slappy, a longtime member of the group, said the organization has been working for more than 20 years to bring improvements to the park. The group raises money through various fundraisers and activities throughout the year.
(Read more: Emporia Gazette)