When it comes to family reunions or childhood memories, parks tend to play a role.  That's why a plan to cut a longtime Pipestone park in half is sparking strong emotions.

Harmon Park is on a busy corner in Pipestone.  It's the place where three highways meet and it's a hot spot for economic development. That's why a local grocery store who’s lease is up is looking for a prime location to build. They've proposed the idea of buying part of Harmon Park to the city council, but some people in town don't want the city to even consider it.

Harmon Park has been part of Pipestone for more than 80 years. For longtime resident Lulubeth Stromberg, it's a part of where she grew up.

“They even had an ice skating rink out here and they had a lot of swing sets and a lot of things that the kids, it was a used park and ball games every night,” Stromberg said.

Stromberg uses the park everyday to walk her dog and says if the grocery store builds on this land, she'll lose more than her walking route.

“Our grandkids were from out of town but they would come and they even took swimming lessons here and they used the park a lot too,” Stromberg said. 

A sidewalk represents the imaginary line of development. Everything to the west , including the aquatic center and the playground, will stay while everything to the east, including the tennis courts and softball field, will go.

“We have a concern for the citizens here who are unemployed,” Pipestone Mayor Laurie Ness said.

Ness says a new grocery store would bring 40 new full and part time jobs and she says that could help after the town suffered several layoffs in the past months.

“Right now we are listening to both sides, trying to be fair and consider all angles of the position,” Ness said.

Still citizens like Stromberg say while the move might create work for some, it will also take away from a place rich in Pipestone's history.

“It's a shame to lose any park but especially one like this,” Stromberg said.

Ness says the next step for this plot of land is for the city council to talk about what happened at the past meeting and gather more information.  At this point, there is no motion or ordinance to sell the land.