The new draft Comprehensive Plan for Rockdale includes a large section dedicated to the city’s parks. A Parks Master Plan is required by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for the city to be eligible for grants. The city sponsored a parks survey in Fall 2023 to get the community’s input for the Parks plan.
Some key takeaways from the new parks plan are:
• Enhanced staf f ing and maintenance of existing parks — the survey results indicated that residents desired well-maintained parks over building new parks.
• This extra maintenance includes but is not limited to extra shading and landscaping, lighting and signage improvements.
• Relocate and improve the dog park — The current city dog park is next to the city’s sewer treatment plant. The plan calls for the dog park to move next to Skate Park closer to town.
• Construct trails and sidewalks connecting park facilities to each other and to downtown Rockdale. Some of this work is scheduled to begin through a $500,000 grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Further, build a greenbelt trail along Ham Branch and the abandoned railroad right-of-way.
• Youth recreation and programming — A new tournament- grade multi-purpose athletic facility (baseball, softball, football, and soccer) is proposed in the plan, but implementation is many years away.
“Having a quality parks system in Rockdale will be a much-needed amenity for new and existing residents,” said Rockdale City Manager Barbara Holly.
The draft Comprehensive Plan is available for download at RockdaleMidCenturyPlans. com and residents are encouraged to read over the plan and submit their comments by June 3, 2024.
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