For the past eight years, the Paola Community Garden has sat on City 0wned land in the Paola Industrial Park, but garden volunteers have always known they may need to move the amenity if a developer was ever interested in the property. It’s a memorial in memory of Regan Johnson, a 16 year old Paola High School Junior who took her own life in December 2017. Her death led to the creation the the Shifting Gears for Regan Suicide Prevention Organization.
During the August Paola City Council Meeting, City Manager, Sid Fleming, told Council Members that a local developer has shown interest in building a baseball/softball complex, potentially with indoor batting cages, in the Paola Industrial Park.
The lot being considered is the same lot that currently houses the Community Garden. Fleming said the lot would likely need to be rezoned, but he asked the Council members if they were interested in moving forward with the proposal because the garden may be required to be relocated. The Council members all agreed that the project was worth discussing. Council Member, Leigh House, said her main concern with moving the garden is the existing memorial to Regan Johnson. No official decision was made at the work session.
