The Highland Village Parks and Recreation Department reopened Copperas Branch Park to the public Monday after five years of construction.

Copperas Branch Park closed in September 2013 to be used as a construction staging area for the expansion of I-35E.

Following construction completion in November 2017, the Texas Department of Transportation and the subcontractor built a new park entrance off Highland Village Road, a parking area under I-35E and began remediation of the park to return it to the city, according to a Highland Village news statement.

The city is allowing residents free entrance of the park Aug. 6-13, and all areas of the park will be available for public use except for the beach and swimming area, which is anticipated to open mid-August after the swim-line is installed.

Copperas Branch Park offers a boat ramp and parking area, swimming and beach area, covered picnic tables, open space, barbecue grills and public restrooms.

City crews have reinstalled the boat ramp pier, added new decking, patched and sealed the parking areas, restored the public restrooms, and removed signage, dead brush and trees from the property through a burn to remove five years of overgrowth in the park.

“The reopening of Copperas Branch Park is another example of city of Highland Village departments working together to provide an amenity for our residents and visitors to our city,” Mayor Charlotte Wilcox said in a city news release. “Every department played a part in restoring this park so it can be enjoyed and used once again by our residents.”

The park is now open from 5 a.m.-11 p.m. as of today, Aug. 6, and after Aug. 13, the gatehouse pay station will be activated and the entrance fee will be $10 per vehicle. Annual passes are also available for $35 for residents and $20 for residents age 65 and older. After July 1, annual passes drop to $25, and $10 for residents over 65. Nonresident annual passes are $60. Annual passes can be purchased at The Robert & Lee DuVall Center, located at 948B Highland Village Road.