Parks staff report storm cleanup, drainage work and upcoming events; Laughlin Park train relocated

Parks staff told the Rockwall City Parks and Recreation Board the department has been focused on storm cleanup, field drainage work and preparing facilities for the spring season, including youth sports and community events.

Brian, a parks staff member presenting the monthly report, said crews removed two barns (saving salvageable material from the red barn for a future project at Alma Williams Park), completed storm cleanup and repaired infrastructure: "We took out small barn, do a bunch of storm cleanup outside of our normal routine," Brian said. He added that crews laser-leveled fields at Harry Myers and Yellowjacket and that the work prevented prolonged field flooding after a heavy rain: "I wanna say the day after we completed that, we got 7.3 inches of rain in a 14 hour period, and I walked on the fields the next morning, which they would have been underwater for a month prior to the renovation."

Staff described regular playground drainage maintenance: crews inspect installed drainage "socks" under mulch (two- to four-inch drains) and periodically excavate and replace clogged filtering material when the mulch decomposes. "So basically, we will dig the sock back out and try and put a material that is compliant with CPSI certification," a parks staff member said.

The board was told Laughlin Park's play-train equipment has been relocated; the train will move to Windmill Park (referred to as "Windmill 2" in the meeting) and staff are planning a replacement piece of equipment for the Laughlin playground. Brian said the red barn's salvageable wood will be kept for a future Alma Williams Park project.

Corey, another parks staff member, outlined upcoming programs and events: the recreational baseball and softball program (RBSL) is slated to start soon with about 1,500 participants registered this year; smaller programs include a spring "little kickers" soccer program and a special-needs Easter egg hunt on April 5 at Yellowjacket for attendees with mobility needs. Staff also announced Founders Day musical acts, listing Josh Turner as the headliner preceded by two supporting performers; the event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.

Staff noted scheduling and field-preparation challenges due to recent heavy rainfall. One parks staff member said intense short-duration rainfall on the morning of the meeting shifted field material at Tuttle, leaving home-plate areas raised and requiring clay import and heavier equipment once fields dry.

Board members thanked staff for the storm cleanup and for saving historic barn material for future reuse. Staff said they will continue urban forestry cleanup, mower repairs, fence installation at Myers and routine maintenance ahead of the summer season.