CITY HOLDS JOINT MEETING TO REVIEW FAMILY PARK DESIGN

  

Representatives from Jones Carter Engineering presented an update on the design of the new Brenham Family Park Phase 1a at noon Wednesday.  It was held in the Historic Simon Theater and was a joint meeting of the BCDC Board, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and most of members of the Brenham City Council.  The money for phase 1a of the design is coming from a $750,000 grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, with matching funds from the BCDC and the City of Brenham.

The property for the park was donated to the city by Ed and Evelyn Kruse in December 2013.  It is located south of the Baker Katz shopping center off South Chappell Hill Street.  The design of phase 1a of the park would include a mile long concrete pedestrian and bike-friendly trail, picnic facilities, a playground, restrooms, lighting, a parking lot and lake development.  Because the park is part of a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant, many environmental and archeological surveys need to be completed before construction can begin.

Several questions were raised at the meeting about the design, mostly about the pond areas.  One person asked if the pond static water level of only 6 feet would be enough to support fish in the summertime.  Another noted that it was a long distance from the parking area to the kayak launching area.  They said it was unlikely that a person would carry their kayak all that way.  They noted that a similar park in another city offered night time activities, including food venders, nighttime fishing and entertainment.  Jones Carter said they would check the suggestions out and try to include them in the future design of the park.

Construction on phase 1a of the park is estimated to begin in January of 2022 and be completed about one and a half years later.