What to know
The purpose of the Parks Master Plan is to guide future development, improvements and funding strategies for Shenandoah’s park system, according to the council’s agenda.
The plan, developed by the city in partnership with Burditt Consultants, identifies projects including:
- Improvements at Mary Pat Case Park
- Improvements at Shenandoah City Park
- Improvements at Toddler Park
- New dog park at Veterans Point
- New park at Rosewood Drive
- New park in southwest Shenandoah
- Trail opportunities throughout the city
- Trail at East Detention Pond
- Athletic practice fields at Tuscany Woods Detention Pond
“Each one of the recommendations in there, these are not something that’s a commitment,” Burditt Consultants representative Paul Howard said. “These are opportunities that we’ve identified through listening to what the public said they want, and what we saw out there as opportunities like new land or trail routes that potentially could be created.”
During the planning process, the city gathered community input through surveys, a public workshop and event booths, Howard said. He said the most desired outdoor amenities included trails, dog parks and playgrounds, according to an online survey.
Howard said the plan is also an important step in obtaining Texas Parks and Wildlife grants through the department’s local parks grants program.
“A grant that we have in mind is to improve the area that’s just north of [Woodforest Bank Stadium] ... that pond that’s over there, that retention pond, to make an amenity out of that,” Mayor John Escoto said.
The other side
Ten residents spoke out against the Parks Master Plan during the meeting, with many expressing concerns that the plan could mean the construction of new parks. In response, Escoto reiterated that the plan was created to justify external funding.
“As far as I’m concerned, we are not going to build any more parks in [Shenandoah] Valley,” Escoto said. “In order to justify for a grant, we have to have a master plan. So we filled the master plan with projected justification. We are not going to build another park ... The purpose for this is to get a specific grant for a specific location that is not going to affect your way of life other than enjoying the amenity once it’s completed.”
