Highland Village says $750,000 state grant will fund trails, cabins and day‑use park improvements
Loading...
Summary
Parks staff told residents the Texas Parks & Wildlife grant will largely fund new trails, permanent cabins outside the flood plain and refreshes to day‑use areas; staff encouraged volunteers to report park trash via the city’s Eye on Highland Village app.
Phil, Highland Village parks and recreation director, told residents the city won a $750,000 grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife and plans to direct most of that funding to trails, cabins and a day‑use area refresh at the lake. “The large part of the money is gonna go on trails, day use area, and the cabins,” Phil said during the Oct. 12 community presentation. Parks staff said the cabins will be permanent and sited out of the flood plain.
Phil provided a parks overview, saying the department manages 19 parks, more than 10 miles of trails, 16 athletic fields, two boat launches and a range of recreation programs. He listed recent outcomes from the city’s master plans, including about $800,000 in grant awards to date and nearly 7,000 park work orders completed in the past year.
On the splash pad season, staff said the facility currently closes after Labor Day and that extending the season is a valid community request; Parks Board meetings (third Monday, 6:30 p.m.) were identified as the venue to discuss schedule changes. Residents asked if the splash pad could operate later into the season; parks staff invited them to bring the request to the Parks and Recreation Board.
Park trash and volunteer cleanup also came up. Speakers noted heavy trash accumulates along shoreline areas after rains and described regular city cleanup efforts supplemented by volunteer groups. Phil urged residents to use the Eye on Highland Village app to report trash and other maintenance issues; staff said the app tracks reports until crews complete follow‑up and notifies the user on resolution.
Parks staff said cabins and day‑use improvements are part of the city’s capital plan supported by the 2022 bond package and that details will be refined as design proceeds. No formal council action or binding schedule was announced at the meeting.
Ending: Parks staff encouraged residents to attend Parks Board meetings and to use the city app to report problems; they said more detailed designs and timelines for grant‑funded projects will be shared as work progresses.
