Memorial Park declared 'Surplus'

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The future of a Terre Haute park is up in the air. It's located near 4th Street and 8th Avenue, near Union Hospital.

The board of public works Monday night decided to reclassify Memorial Park on Terre Haute's north side. It was at the request of Terre Haute's Department of Redevelopment.

It will now be considered a surplus property. That means that the park can now be sold.

News 10 spoke with Cliff Lambert from the redevelopment department. He said the decision was the first step in a potential project.

He said there is a developer who has expressed interest in buying the property. It's unclear who that developer is or what they would want to do with the park.

However, Lambert said the developer wants to be in line with the Rural Health Innovation Collaborative. That's a group dedicated to improving and expanding health care in the city.

Lambert believes the end result will help revitalize the area. He said he hopes to be able to release more information soon.

Meanwhile, Second Christian Church is located right next to the park.

They had a meeting Tuesday night, discussing what the decision could mean for them.

"Some of the kids during Sunday school will come out and play in the park some, so you know that does affect them as a small percentage of our church. So we do have a vested interest in what may happen and take place here," Ted Bradburn, an elder from Second Christian Church said.

Memorial Park was built in the 1930s.