Diocese and Friends of Bethany Place await decision
4:02 p.m. Wednesday, January 30, 2008
"The historic structures will not be harmed, not be touched. Will not be moved...will not be impacted."
That was the word from Diocese spokesperson Melodie Woerman after local neighbors spoke against a proposed parking lot adjoining the area that was once the home of a women's school. The Friends of Bethany Place claimed the area should be preserved because of its historic value. We first brought you the story in May after the Landmark Commission and State Historical Society turned down the project.
"We're baffled and concerned about why they have to put a parking lot on a historically significant piece of property," says Friends of Bethany Place member Anne Spiess.
"Our job is to save souls, not trees," says Woerman.
The Diocese got approval from the City Council to go ahead with the parking lot at the August 28th Meeting. The trees were cut down the following day. This brought outrage from neighbors.
"Its as though they were bleeding to death; all this unnecessary destruction," says Pedro Irigonegaray." "Remember the song 'they paved over paradise and put up a parking lot'? It's happening and we have to stop it."
Woerman counters, "We're not paving over paradise to put in a parking lot. We're taking a little slice of our property so that we can allow our cathedral to have parking for disabled and elderly members so they can go to church."
A restraining order was issued and a big mess was left behind. It sat for several days until the Diocese received permission from a district judge to clean it up. Now the fate of a forty space parking lot lies in the hands of the district court.
Story Background
Members of the 49 News staff have been following this story from the beginning. Learn more about this story by choosing from the reports below:
- 9-7-2007 Contested tree debris cleaned up after restraining order lifted
- 8-30-2007 Restraining Order leaves mess
- 8-29-2007 Episcopal Diocese wastes no time in felling trees for parking lot
- 8-29-2007 City Council clears way for parking lot near historic landmark
- 5-29-2007 Parking lot plan sparks controversy in historic Topeka
Comments
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Jan. 30, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)wuchick2002 (anonymous)
Oh, please...they are trees, they belong to the church, the land belongs to the church, so the church should be able to do with the land as they wish. Pedro is way over dramatic about everything. Just let the church build the parking lot. If you don't like the "lack of green space" MOVE!
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