COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — College Station's City Council has approved to move ahead with improvements at Veteran's Park and Athletic Complex.
Veterans Park and Athletic Complex attracts close to one-million people a year, whether visitors are simply driving through, walking the trails, attending a sporting event or strolling through history by looking at the different memorials.
College Station's City Council has unanimously voted on nearly $1.6 million of improvements to Veteran's Park and Athletic Complex. Gene Ballew with the City's Park and Recreation division says the improvements are needed.
"There are 3 round-a-bouts... on the driveway of the facility. All three of them need repairs...moving from an asphalt to concrete base," Gene Ballew, Athletics and Tourism Manager for the City of College Station said.
Ballew says the improvements are mostly maintenance-related.
"The biggest bulk of everything is drainage of the front 6 fields, as well as putting in sidewalks," Ballew added.
New sidewalks will improve accessibility for everyone, especially wheelchair users.
Ballew says they are also adding in two playgrounds, currently there is only one at the complex.
"We are also adding in a bathroom on this side of the complex, which is much needed for the people especially on the back part of the fields," Ballew added.
For visitors like Rani Schwartz, who loves coming to the park for its history, the improvements will definitely be welcomed.
"I really love this place. I love all the state symbols up here. I've walked around and looked at all 50. I love the map... I love the history of this park," Rani Schwartz, a park visitor said.
Schwartz also says she enjoys reading at the park and she say she will enjoy and appreciate the improvements.
"I will definitely enjoy coming here in the future," Schwartz added.
The City hopes to begin construction in the next few weeks, weather permitting. The improvements should take 4-6 months to complete.
Veterans Park and Athletic Complex is made up of 13 multi-purpose fields, five softball fields and a veterans memorial.