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Staff presents Liberty Plaza relocation options; board favors site near Branch Connection for visibility and Veterans Day use
Summary
City staff presented three candidate sites to relocate Liberty Plaza — Rose Garden/Keaton Cemetery, a small historic park on Park Branch Lane, and an area near the Branch Connection — noting trade-offs in acreage, parking, accessibility and cost. No final decision was made; staff will provide follow-ups.
At the Feb. 5 Senior Advisory Board meeting in Farmers Branch, staff presented an analysis of possible relocation sites for Liberty Plaza and outlined the considerations that will guide selection, including ADA access, parking, visibility, space for expansion and the cost of moving existing memorial features.
Jackie (staff member) described the current Liberty Plaza site near Simmons Freeway as occupying about 4.62 acres with three statues, three plaques, a large central feature and approximately 1,300 feet of walking trail. She said relocation will require moving existing amenities and creating a dedicated memorial design at the selected site.
Staff outlined three candidate areas: the Rose Garden and Keaton Cemetery area near City Hall; a smaller historic park on Park Branch Lane (about 0.5 acres); and an option adjacent to Forward Branch Park / the Branch Connection with roughly 1.99 acres and about 39 shared parking spaces. Jackie said each proposed location is part of a larger parcel and would need a purpose-built plaza area.
Members discussed trade-offs. One board member argued the site next to the Branch Connection or City Hall backyard would improve visitor access and visibility and better support Veterans Day programming: “I just think overall, that’s the best place for it,” the member said. Another member raised a practical concern about event conflicts: “What if you’ve got, like, 5 soccer games going on at the same time?” — warning that high activity could complicate moments intended for reflection.
Staff emphasized there is no final decision yet and promised to provide updates as the parks department narrows options and clarifies costs and logistics. Board members requested a future briefing from parks staff (named individuals were suggested in the meeting) to review growth, site plans and how stored historic structures (log cabins and a two‑story building) might be used on parkland.
Next steps: staff will continue coordination with the parks department, produce more detailed site comparisons, and return to the board with updated analysis and cost information.
