posted 06-06-2016 09:05 PM               

The signs recognizing Colmery — whose statue will be part of a downtown Topeka pocket park that will be dedicated June 22 — would be placed at interstate and state highway approaches to the city limits, the document said.

"It is believed that by celebrating Topeka as the home of Mr. Colmery, the signs may have greater widespread impact on tourism to the middle class and veterans particularly to visit the park Downtown," it said.

The document said the Kansas Department of Transportation maintains a "Home Of" program that allows for signs to be put up recognizing cities as being the birthplace or home of a historic person, but "only one individual per city is allowed and only their name can be on the sign."

KDOT maintains one such sign along Interstate 70 at the western city limits recognizing Topeka as the home of Evans (1933-1990), a Highland Park High School graduate who was command module pilot for the Apollo 17 mission to the moon in December 1972.

"The sign was put up by the federal government to promote NASA's space program about this time," the agenda packet document said."

...park creators have pledged to raise funds for a Ron Evans placard Downtown since he on the list of notable Topekans.