By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Twenty-seven thousand signatures could stand in the way of a proposed deal to lease a small portion of Forest Park to Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Citizen to Protect Forest Park turned in the petition signatures at the St. Louis Board of Elections Friday. They hope to put a referendum on the matter on the April ballot.
The group's Ken Cohen says while the lease of about nine and a half acres east of Kingshighway to BJC would bring in $2 million a year, there are other ways to maintain Forest Park.
"We believe there are other streams of revenue that can be developed without sacrificing parklands," Cohen said. "We don't believe the city should try to balance the budget by disposing of green space, especially parts of Forest Park."
The proposed ballot question would ask voters whether proposals to sell, lease, give away or build on parklands would first need voter approval.
The St. Louis Board of Elections has 10 days to certify the petition signatures.