WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Lions Park on North 42nd Street near Bosque Boulevard is a place that will live on in the heart of the community for generations.
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While redevelopment is not happening anytime soon, the City of Waco says it still has plans to transform the green space. Right now, the park remains open as a green space as the city figures out when and how to fund the long-term project.
The city says it has not forgotten about Lions Park, but it is focusing on nearly $100 million worth of park projects currently underway, from the Alice Martinez Rodriguez Park to the Waco Riverwalk project.
City of Waco Director of Parks and Recreation Jonathan Cook tells 25 News the park is on the city's priority list for the future after older amenities were torn down several years ago.
"Lions Park came to life in the mid-50s and so for over 70 years it has been one of Waco's primary park spaces," Cook said.
"We cleared the site to create a green space, but also in that process, we created a master vision plan for that site," Cook said.
"So that was completed about a couple of years ago and now that remains on our funding schedule as we look at ways to improve the site in the future," Cook said.
The Waco Lions established the park in 1952. It featured a baseball diamond and a putt-putt golf course. The park also boasted what was claimed to be the largest swimming pool in Texas at the time, according to the City of Waco. Kiddie Land was added in 1965 with go-karts and a train.
Lions Park is a space that holds a lot of memories for neighbors, including Waco native Cory Duncan, who grew up by the park.
"I lived over on 50th Street. So you see Lake Air Towers over here right on the other side. I went to Waco High," Duncan said.
Duncan reminisced with me over the time he spent at Lions Park as a child, including his most vivid memory of a metal "super" slide.
"It was infamous of like throwing you in the air. It's great. It's great," Duncan said.
"I know a ton of Waco people have that same memory that I do," Duncan said.
"Just the idea of me bringing my kids here to play and make their own memories with the Lions Park that will be, and of course I'll compare that to the Lions Park that was that I remember, and it'll be special," Duncan said.
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