Ovilla park improvements planned

OVILLA – The 2021-2022 fiscal year budget in the city of Ovilla was a win when it came to improving the local Founders Park.

Founders Park is the area behind the city facilities, and this week has been targeted for the groundbreaking for the installation of a new pavilion.

The new and improved park will also include not only the new pavilion, but public restrooms and walking trails winding through the park.

According to Ovilla City Manager Pam Woodall, in the following weeks concrete work and the installation of the pavilion will occur. 

“We hope the pavilion will be a good area for our residents to have family reunions and other activities in the future,” said Ovilla Mayor Richard Dormier.

The public restrooms are expected to be installed between the two baseball fields near the Cindy Jones playground, and that project will begin during the first week of March. 

The smaller baseball field will become a girls’ softball field and will include a baseball field for 10-years-old and under players. New fencing will also be installed around the smaller field. After completion of the pavilion and restrooms, the new walking trails will be installed beginning at the children’s park playground and connecting to the public restrooms, also proceeding around the Founders Park area and the new Founders Park pavilion. This will eventually connect to the city parking lot located at Cockrell Hill Road and Main Street. 

“This will be a huge enhancement to Founders Park, adding beauty and opportunities to the public for planned events, and providing a place for children to play and families to connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors,” Woodall said.

As well, walking trails will not only offer a connection to all of the downtown area, but also a way for residents to stay healthy.

“This will be a tangible reflection of the quality of life in the Ovilla community,” Woodall added.

The budget for both restrooms and pavilion is around $400,000.

“Our hope is when we have Heritage Day this fall, the pavilion and restrooms will be operational,” Dormier concluded.