City park upgrades on the line at Special meeting July 24

Photo for illustration purposes only.
The official agenda for the Special meeting on Monday, July 24.

The addition of a splash pad and other amenities for Briscoe Park will be given a second chance to become reality at a Special meeting of the Devine City Council scheduled for next Monday, July 24 at 6:00 pm.
The meeting will be held in Council chambers at City Hall, located at 303 S. Teel Dr.
The possibility of upgrades for Briscoe Park, located at Windy Knoll and Colonial Parkway, was first raised at the Regular meeting held this past Tuesday, July 18.
A splash pad and other improvements are contingent on the City being awarded a Local Parks Grant by Texas Parks & Wildlife. The program provides 50 percent matching funds to assist governments with the procurement and/or development of public recreation areas and facilities. The specific grant under consideration is the Local Parks Non-Urban Outdoor Recreation grant, which provides up to $500,000 in matching funds.
Grant applications are due October 1.
A handful of Devine residents attended the meeting, and after hearing concerns that ranged from security to cost to whether park improvements benefit enough people, Council voted unanimously not to pursue the grant.
After fielding a number of complaints the next day from Devine citizens unhappy with the decision, a Special meeting was called to revisit the topic.
A petition in favor of seeking the grant is available to sign at City Hall.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer