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Friends group seeks $50,000 grant to build Unity Tree interpretive trail in Unity Park
Summary
The Friends of Highland Village Park Foundation presented plans for an interpretive trail and signage around the historic Unity Tree, seeking support and up to $50,000 from the T‑Mobile Hometown grant. The foundation says it will secure arborist inspection, letters of support and adjust designs to reduce costs before applying.
Kevin Fenderson, president of the Friends of Highland Village Park Foundation, told the Highland Village Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on Feb. 17 that his group wants to build an interpretive trail and signage around the Unity Tree in Unity Park and will pursue a T‑Mobile Hometown grant to pay for it.
"The T‑Mobile grant will fund this project up to $50,000," Fenderson said, describing a plan that includes a decomposed‑granite path, five interpretive signs, a monolithic stone marker and audio/QR enhancements for additional content. He said the foundation has planted trees across the city and wants to add an educational component that tells the tree’s history in roughly 40‑year increments.
Fenderson said inflation has pushed up construction costs since the project was first scoped and that the foundation is working with McAdams to re‑engineer some elements to reduce expenses. He said the foundation is also pursuing letters of support from the Community Development Corporation, the mayor and former Mayor Diane Costa and will apply in the next T‑Mobile funding cycle if the application is complete.
The group plans to hire or secure an inspection by Tammy Geer, a certified arborist, to produce a current health assessment of the Unity Tree and evaluate whether the existing six‑foot metal fence should remain. "At a minimum we know there are some deadfall limbs that need to be cleaned out," Fenderson said; he added that the foundation will seek to place the tree on the Texas Big Tree Registry.
Board members asked about additional funding and sponsorships; Fenderson said the T‑Mobile award is a straight grant but that T‑Mobile welcomes partnerships and that local sponsors such as Datco and Walmart have supported past foundation projects. He asked the board and staff for letters of support and said the foundation would welcome city participation on elements such as fence replacement at a later date.
Next steps the group described include updating the design and cost estimates with McAdams, completing the arborist inspection, assembling five letters of support and filing a complete T‑Mobile application in the next quarterly cycle.
