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The gist
A plan to turn Fritz Park in Hutto into a centerpiece for outdoor recreation for the city is moving forward.
The specifics
On July 20, Hutto City Council approved a plan to apply for a grant from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department that will cover $750,000 of the total amount.
Hutto Parks and Recreation Director Jeff White said the grant application is due Aug. 1. Applications will be considered through November, and if approved, the grant would be awarded in January.
White said the grant, if approved, mandates a four-year window for completion, and the Fritz Park improvement project would have to be completed by January 2028.
More details
The grant will pertain to new construction, renovations and professional services at Fritz Park and breaks down financially as follows:
At a July 6 meeting, city officials discussed a $1.25 million construction plan with Burditt Consultants to move forward the process of redesigning the park into “an authentic flagship destination and gathering place in Hutto,” according to city documents.
The Fritz Park overhaul is included in the city's park's master plan, which officials approved in December. The improvements are planned to provide the park with amenity and facility programming that will encourage daily, year-round use and are budgeted for a maximum of $9.73 million. Funding is largely coming from a $125 million city bond—$50 million of which was designated for city parks—voters approved in 2018.
City documents state public feedback gathered following the approval of the parks master plan showed a redesign of Fritz Park ranked as the top parks priority.
