City Park receives grant, improvements to be made

More updates have been given on the Texas Parks and Wildlife grant the city received for park improvements.

The grant is $750,000 and has been in the works for a couple of years now. Currently, the city has already gone out for bids. The improvements are slated to start this summer.

“The initial thing we are looking at is a new walking and biking trail,” Mayor Carl O’Neill said. “It will gofrom the baseball fields up there and then come down through to the small pavilion and go around the golf course near the swimming pool. That’s the priority we’re looking at as far as the initial big project.”

Construction for the hiking trail should start around the first of August.

In conjunction with that, the city will have enough money to re-do the tennis courts according to O’ Neill.

Additionally, the tennis court will be restriped for a pickleball court.

“The tennis court and pickleball court will be the same location,” O’ Neill said.

“ We'll resurface and re-stripe the same court to accommodate them both. We’ll also re-do the basketball court and the volleyball court as well.”

At a previous city council meeting, the city discussed giving something extra for the youth to do now that the swimming pool is no longer in operation.

“That’s still under investigation,” O’ Neill said. “That proposal just came forward to us about using the old swimming pool for a skate park. Instead of demolishing it or filling it in, it will be used for a skating rink. It should be structurally sound enough for that. Of course, we’ll have to do modifications for the skate park. It won’t be near enough extensive construction that repairs for the pool itself would be.”

There will also be a new splash pad near the pool. O’ Neill said many people have been positive about the addition of a new splash pad.

A brand new restroom near the ball park will also be installed.

O’ Neill said this project fits in with the city’s broader vision for its growth and livability.

“It’s great that we’re giving the community something to do,” O’ Neill said. “In particular, the ball fields out there will be able to accommodate more people. It could also bring some tourism here for tournaments. Just give us some time and, when this develops further, I’m sure everyone will be really pleased with the outcome of the park.”