Concept plan unveiled for Lions Park
By Kyle Mooty
LPR Editor
A final concept plan for Lions Park was presented to the Lockhart City Council last week that would enhance the park at night, its nature, its restroom, as well as increase its parking.
A representative of Halff Associates and Parks and Recreation Director Travis Hughes discussed the plans to the Council, including that the playground needed to be larger and support additional ages, as well as add picnic pavilions, fitness equipment, pickleball and sand volleyball courts, and a splash pad as it was mentioned often by people responding to an online public survey.
There would also be a “Gateway” entrance to the park from two directions.
A pair of concepts were provided, and Concept B was the favorite, with an estimated cost of $3,112,900. Halff Associates said the park would be done in two phases. looking at two phases. The Council is considering the project.
In other business:
The Downtown Revitalization Project now has 100 percent design plans and Will Wachel of TRC Engineers gave the latest update.
Wachel said the plans would continue to be “tweaked” to improve drainage and access for the businesses along North Main Street.
The entire project will be irrigated.
Bidding will begin on the project from November 2023 to January 2024. Construction is planned to begin in February 2024 to February 2026.
Children’s Care-a-Van has been in the Lockhart community now for 20 years, but the current bus it operates from is in dire need of being replaced for $85,000. Ascension Seton Hays Foundation’s Associate Director of Development, Sam Regonini, asked the City of Lockhart for additional help with its operation due to the need of the replacement bus. The city has donated $2,500 annually to the Care-a-Van but agreed to make a $10,000 one-time donation this year due to its need.
The Care-A-Van Program has been providing mobile pediatric medical clinic services, which include immunizations, wellness, and sick visits, in Caldwell County since 2003. The cost has been $20 per child.
City Planning Director David Fowler noted there had been 491 single family permits to date in 2023, while there were only 283 in 2022 and just 94 in 2020.
The Council nominated Alfredo Munoz and Sally Daniel to the Caldwell County Appraisal District’s Board of Directors for the 2024-2025 term.
Lockhart Municipal Airport will host a Fifty-to-Fifty Romeo Fly-In on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature general aviation aircraft, helicopters, Warbird plane riders, flight schools, food, and a sky dive performance. Free admission.
The Council adopted an ordinance requiring all awnings and suspended canopies in the Historic District to be considered under the Lockhart Historical Preservation Commission’s Certificate for Alteration.
A City Tax Abatement was unanimously approved for improvements to Spellerberg Projects’ building on Main Street through the Historic District.
Lockhart’s two Splash Pads – City Park and Maple Street — will close for the season on Oct. 1.
The Lockhart Kiwanis Club’s 17th annual 5K Stampede will be Saturday, Sept. 30 at 8 a.m. Participants can run 5K or a 1K Fun Run or Walk. Registration ends Sept. 28.
City Cemetery Cleanup will be Oct. 10-11 at the City Cemetery. All deteriorated, weathered, and unsightly items, artificial and real flowers, vases, containers, flags, and miscellaneous items will be removed. If you wish to keep these items that may have sentimental value, the city has asked to please remove them before Tuesday, Oct. 10. Call the Parks Department at (512) 398-6452 with questions or concerns.
The Fall City-wide Bulk Pickup will be Saturday, Oct. 14. Central Texas Refuse, the City of Lockhart’s solid waste collection contractor, will collect accepted bulk items placed at the curb. Items can be placed on the curb no later than Oct. 14, at 7 a.m. This event is free and open to Lockhart residents only.
Accepted items at the Bulk Pickup include: Non-freon appliances (Please provide two feet of side clearance for appliances); Carpeting (Cut and rolled less than 4×4 feet and 40 pounds); Furniture; Scrap metal (Less than 4-foot long); Wooden fencing material/treated wood (Bundled less than 4×4 feet and 40 pounds, and free of nails, screws, concrete, and metal); mattresses.
Non-eligible items include: Freon appliances (Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioner units); televisions and computers; automotive products/fluids; hazardous chemicals; demolition/construction debris or metal fencing; tires; batteries, ammunition, or explosives; concrete, rocks, dirt and sand, masonry; railroad tie lumber; pianos, hot tubs, motorcycles, vehicle parts, or items larger than a normal size appliance; tree limbs and brush.
The National Night Out will be Tuesday, Oct. 3. It is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships between neighbors and law enforcement while bring back a true sense of community. People can register their neighborhood by contacting Tina Ramsey at 512-398-4401, or via email at tramsey@ps.lockhart-tx.org.
There will be no City Council on the first Tuesday of October due to National Night Out, so the next meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 17, beginning at 6 p.m.
Mayor Lew White praised the recent Diez y Seis two-day event held in downtown Lockhart.
“It was very well attended,” White said. “The music was great. The food was great.”
