Claremore Residents Upset With Parklets, Sign Petition For Their Removal

Petitions are circulating around Claremore to get rid of the two parklets that sit along Main Street. Some business owners say they just aren’t popular and believe there are better ideas to get people visiting the area.

“We’ve just seen that they’re not getting used,” said Chelsea Mize, owner of an antique store located across from one of the parklets. “They’re not being maintained properly.”

Mize keeps one of the petitions on her front counter. It is quickly filling up with signatures from other people who want to see the parklets go away.

Mize says she didn’t organize the petitions but is in favor of removing the parklets. In the two years since they have been installed, she says the parklets have been more of a headache than a hotspot since they take up a total of four parking spots.

“When there is a structure that is not being utilized, and it is in our parking spaces, that does kind of become an eyesore,” said Mize.

News On 6 spent nearly two hours in town around lunchtime. Paige Moss and her family were the only group we saw taking advantage of the outdoor seating.

Moss’ mom told News On 6 she sits on the Claremore Main Street board.

“I think when the weather’s nice, it’s nice to come down here and eat and shop around,” said Paige. “I think it does bring business down here, so it’s great.”

Shoppers out on the sunny day passed the parklets but didn’t take a seat. Some tell us they’d like to see them go.

“It’s a nice thought in theory, but we need the parking space,” said Karen Wyllhoite, a Claremore resident.

Mize is hopeful business owners, and the Main Street board can find level ground on a way to bring outdoor seating and beautification to the area.

“We’re actually all in agreement that those things need to take place, and we want those things,” said Mize. “We just don’t feel like the current structures are the right way to go about that.”

Organizers behind the petitions say they have already presented some of the signatures to the Main Street board, but it decided to keep the parklets in place for now. They plan to bring more signatures to February’s meeting.

News On 6 reached out to the Claremore Main Street board several times but did not hear back.