City staff invite public to next Bessie Haynes meeting; parks team reports visitor growth and ongoing projects
Loading...
Summary
City officials invited residents to a Bessie Haynes public meeting and reported visitor increases to Maxey Park, playground upgrades and other park improvements underway as part of the city’s 2030 quality‑of‑life goals.
City staff invited residents to a second public meeting on the Bessie Haynes master plan and reported steady increases in park use following several recent amenity upgrades.
Heather Ramirez, assistant city manager, asked residents to attend the Bessie Haynes 'shape the future' meeting set for Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bessie Haynes gymnasium, 800 E. 11th St. "I'd like to invite the public out on Tuesday of September thirtieth from 6 to 07:30 up to our Bessie Haynes gym. It'll be our the public's second opportunity to give input on shaping what our Bessie Haynes park should look like," Ramirez said during the public‑comment portion of the meeting.
Holly Jeracke, community services director, updated council on Goal 4 (quality of life through recreation, culture and education). Jeracke reported that playground upgrades, additional benches and restroom replacements have been completed at multiple parks and that the city is pursuing inclusive playground equipment for smaller neighborhood parks. She said Maxey Park recorded 20,700 visitors in a prior reporting period and that park counts from March through August 2025 showed strong seasonal attendance, with July peaking at roughly 4,500 visitors around the Fourth of July events.
Jeracke said work is under way on a 13‑acre park master plan, that new holiday banners and downtown landscaping projects are in place, and that the veteran’s pond repair remains under discussion with county partners with a goal for completion before Veterans Day if feasible.
Why it matters: The Bessie Haynes master plan and park upgrades aim to increase neighborhood access to recreation and spread amenities to parts of town that lack nearby facilities. The visitor numbers cited by staff were presented as evidence that new amenities and events are drawing larger crowds.
Staff said additional park projects—restroom upgrades, disc golf planning, walking‑trail and pavilion designs for Tolliver Road, and an expansion of park maintenance staffing—are advancing and will return to council with design and funding requests as projects move from planning to procurement.
