Saw this posted on NextDoor. Most germane to this topic is that the 84 bridges are due to open up around April, so that's fantastic news. The rest of this was interesting as well.
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Last week we had an Association meeting at the church to discuss the Cottonbelt Trail park and future park development. Here is a quick recap of things that were discussed.
We were joined by city councilman Jim Holmes, Assistant City Manager Bradley Ford, and Parks Director Jonathan Cook and his team.
The city is looking at installing a playground for kids, a pavilion with tables and grills, new lights for safety, exercise stations along the trail, and water fountains. The playground design looks like a train, which is historically significant because the current trail was previously the rail line from McGregor to Waco.
They are currently in the final design stage and nearing the bid process. They expect construction to start this summer and expect completion to be around the beginning of next year.
The neighborhood and the city staff want to see the park utilized and enjoyed safely, with minimal disruptions to the houses closest to the park. There is concern about the park being used all hours of the night by folks not respecting the land or neighbors. The city is aware and discussing the best way to monitor the park and reduce the unwelcome late-night activities.
Lastly, a quick update from the contractor and TxDOT about Highway 84 road construction. They expect the bridges to open to traffic in April 2020. The turn into Sunwest will re-open at the same time that the bridges open to traffic. Additionally, the entire project will be completed by the end of Summer / Early Fall.
