BRYAN, Texas (KRHD) — The Bryan City Council voted unanimously to replace Williamson Park's 25-year-old playground, which officials say has become an eyesore with accessibility and drainage issues.
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The city of Bryan is continuing its commitment to improving local parks, and the latest effort is coming to Williamson Park. The City Council voted unanimously to replace the park's aging playground equipment.
I've been reporting on the city's park improvements for the past year, and Williamson Park is next in line. The current playground has been in place for decades and has fallen into disrepair.
"So with this one is about 25 years old, if not more, and so it's become an - kind of an eyesore and accessibility has become an issue here at Williamson Park," Bryan Parks Operations Manager Marcus Walker said.
The park currently features a walking trail, skate park, basketball court, restrooms and pavilions. For local resident Iyeshia Thomas, it was her first visit in some time.
"This is the first time I've really been here since they built the Legend's and built all that stuff over there. So when I first got here, I drove around just looking. The improvements are actually pretty nice," Thomas said.
When the new equipment arrives, the city will move the playground to a different location within the park.
"And we're going to take advantage of that situation and try to move the unit out of what is kind of getting a lot of sheet flow into it and drainage issues and whatnot, to a better location to allow better accessibility for the park patrons," Walker said.
Thomas said the new playground and other amenities are a positive development for families in the community.
"It's good cause a lot of times us as parents, we talk about it's not much for these kids to do out here. So for them to bring stuff like this to the community, that's pretty neat," Thomas said.
The city says the new equipment will include a special addition designed to make it more comfortable for children.
"And so this will have a standalone shade structure with it that will be built over it and cover 100% of the square footage of the new playground unit," Walker said.
Neighbors say they're pleased with the changes.
"We're looking forward to the shade structures here and um at the other parks that Bryan has added them to," local resident Katie Hankins said.
The city says it expects to have the new equipment installed in the new part of the park by the end of February 2027.
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