Details Announced for $1.2 Million Park at Hope Hill

The La Grange City Council heard an update Tuesday night on the Hope Hill Park Project.

The City plans to pay for the park improvements with a 50-50 matching grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Interim City Manager Frank Menefee said the City has not yet received the grant funding, but he said TPWD has notified the City that the grant was approved. According to terms of the grant, TPWD will contribute $750,000 to the project. For its half of the matching funds, the City used the value of the property and existing improvements along with volunteer labor plus $450,000 in cash. That will give the City about $1.2 million for new park improvements. The City is planning to build the park in three phases over the next three years.

Rangel said she hopes work on the park will begin in January. The landscape design firm Burditt Land Place developed a conceptual master plan for the Hope Hill Park Project. The company updated the Council on their latest plans at the meeting Tuesday night.

“There were certain things you listed in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Grant, and those will certainly be in the project,” said Burditt Vice President Shane Howard. “And then there are things on the wish list that we are looking at.”

Howard said the first items on the construction timeline will include parking, pickleball courts and utility connections to an existing building on the property.

“The early parts of the project will focus on getting those areas activated,” Howard said. “And then piece by piece moving deeper into the property with walking trails around the pond, making it safe and accessible, and adding variety for the neighborhood and the community as a whole.”

Some of the “wish list” items include exercise equipment, a playground for small children, a bird watching blind, a covered basketball half-court and a fishing pier for the existing pond.

“For some of these items, you have a choice and you can decide what is more important to you,” Howard said.

Councilwoman Patsy Zbranek asked about lighting in the park.

“There will be lighting in the parking lot,” Howard said. “As the trails get built, lighting will go in there. It will not be disturbing to neighbors. It will be for security and ambiance as well.”

The Council discussed the park’s open hours.

“That will be a policy question, but we are designing it with the intent to close at night,” Howard said.

Councilman Quenten Gonzalez asked about security cameras in the park. Police Chief David Gilbreath said the City will be able to install security cameras in the park.

“As a whole I like the layout of the park, but my concern is all of those trees in the dark (north) corner of the park,” said Councilman Dusty Littrell. “I see that as a problematic area.”

Diana Wilson, one of the Burditt architects who also lives in La Grange, said the designers wanted to preserve as many of the existing trees in the property as possible. “But there may be some pruning we can do with low branches to improve the sight lines,” Wilson said. “That would actually improve the health of the trees.” “I agree with not cutting the trees as much as possible, but if we could have a line of sight through there, that would help,” Littrell said.

The Council discussed several options for fencing the property, including cedar plank privacy fencing and see-through chain link fencing. Littrell said he would like to hear fencing recommendations from the residents who live around the future park.

“They’re the ones who are going to have to look at it all the time,” Littrell said. Rangel said she would poll the residents and return to Council with their recommendations.