Update: Council announced their intentions to incorporate the Memorial Park plans into the town halls and survey for the Kings Gate Park Conceptual Plan; the City is looking for input and guidance from Willow Park Citizens on their plans to move the Willow Park's Pfc. Paul Balint Jr. Memorial Park to the El Chico City Hall parking lot and green space.
• Summary: The City of Willow Park is planning to move the "Willow Park Memorial Park" from it's current Ranch House Road location to the new "beautified" parking lot in front of the new El Chico City Hall. Currently, there is no indication the new City Hall Memorial/Veterans Park will also be dedicated to Private Paul Balint Jr. or will also include any of the current dedications and memorials.
Latest Update: 02 October 2024
Update: WP's Memorial Park is moving... and the City wants direction from Citizens.
Correction and Updates: Subsequent to the original Willow Park Civics blog posted 18 September, the City of Willow Park provided a correction and provided an update with information not previously shared with the general public. Willow Park Civics appreciates the City for publicly sharing this new information.
Posted Wednesday, 18 September, 2024
Original Blog
"Looks like it's a done deal." The City of Willow Park is planning to move the "Willow Park Memorial Park" from it's current location on Ranch House Road to the new "beautified" parking lot in front of the new El Chico City Hall. That's the plan.
Correction: "Looks like it's a done deal." Not quite. During the 13 August 2024 Council Meeting [4], Agenda Item 3 , the Council announced their intentions to incorporate the Memorial Park plans into the town halls and survey [6] for the Kings Gate Park Conceptual Plan. [7]
The City is looking for input and guidance from Willow Park Citizens on the City's plans to move the Willow Park's Pfc. Paul Balint Jr. Memorial Park on Ranch Hour Road to the El Chico City Hall parking lot and green space. [Details in original blog below.]
Since the City moved their City Hall from the Ranch House Road location to the new El Chico location [2], Memorial Park, next to the old City Hall has not been fully maintained. Over the last year, the sign for Balint Memorial Park has fallen and not replaced and "the flower beds are not planned to be reconstructed at this point since the sprinkler system is no longer operational due to the old City Hall’s demolition." [1]
Update from City of Willow Park: "The current Memorial Park is being maintained to the degree it always has been with mowing and landscaping. Prior to its disconnection, most of the park’s sprinkler system has been inoperable for years, with the remainder poorly functioning, at best. The suggestion of embellishing the flower beds would have had to include an entire overhaul of the existing sprinkler system, even if we turned the water back on. Since the future of Memorial Park is uncertain, these ideas have been postponed.
"The “sign for Balint Memorial Park” was removed because the pergola upon which it hung was removed. The family was contacted to make repairs prior to its degree of dilapidation, but they were not able to perform the work before the pergola reached the state of disrepair, and it became unsafe. The family was informed that the City was going to need to remove it, which it did, but Paul Balint, Jr.’s granite monument is still in the park by the first set of trees along the concrete trail."
During the May 2024 Parks Board Meeting [3] and again during the 13 August 2024 Council Meeting [4], the City presented its new El Chico City Hall "beautified" parking lot.
The $1M+ upgrades to the parking area and empty lot in front of the El Chico City Hall, include an area for a new, albiet smaller, Memorial (Veterans ) Park - a space in the southwest corner for “Future Development – Memorial Park.” [4]
The dedication of the current Willow Park Memorial park is to Pfc. Paul Balint Jr. [5] Currently, there is no indication the new City Hall Memorial/Veterans Park will also be dedicated to Private Paul Balint Jr. or will also include any of the current dedications and memorials.
Sources and Resources
[1] Willow Park Q2 Parks Report: Kings Gate Park, Trinity Track, Memorial and Cross Timber Parks, City Hall, new Parks Super., Christmas lights, and more., Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 31 July 2024, Excerpts
• Memorial Park: Lawn maintenance continues. The flower beds are not planned to be reconstructed at this point since the sprinkler system is no longer operational due to the old City Hall’s demolition.
[2] Willow Park City Hall Index, Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 13 December 2023
[3] 07 May 2024 Parks Board Meeting, Agenda Item 4. Discuss past progress and future plans for Kings Gate Park.
[4] 13 August 2024 Council Meeting, 09 August 2024, Agenda Items 2 and 3
• 2. Discussion/Action: approval for Westwood Professional Services to proceed with the bid process and start the City Hall parking lot project.
• 3. Discussion/Action: Kings Gate Park Concept Plans and Memorial Park consideration for relocation. [Youtube Video of Countil Meeting; including Memorial Parks in Kings Gate Park town halls and survey at time 13.15.]
During initial City Hall parking lot discussions with Westwood, adding parkland to the City Hall site was discussed and Staff agreed that the future of the Memorial Park at 516 Ranch House Rd. needed to be decided. While brainstorming, it was suggested that the park be moved to the site of City Hall. Albeit a separate project, the conceptual plan for the City Hall parking lot shows a space in the southwest corner for “Future Development – Memorial Park”. While requesting the cost estimate for Kings Gate Park, Staff also asked Ms. Witmeyer to provide an estimate for the addition of [Veterans Park] to the City Hall property. A conceptual design has not yet been requested, but a cost estimate for basic elements expected for such a project is $610,000 with a 30% contingency.
[5] Memorial Day: Willow Park's Pfc. Paul Balint Jr., Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 30 May 2024
On Memorial Day we remember Willow Park residents who died for our country. Pfc. Paul Balint Jr. of Willow Park was 22 when he died in service to his country; he was killed 15 December 2006 by small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq. He died of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with the enemy during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
[6] Two town halls and a survey will help plan the future of Willow Park's Kings Gate Park. Willow Park Civics Blog, posted 27 August 2024
[7] Willow Park Parks and Trails Index, Willow Park Civics Blog
• Willow Park City Hall Index, Willow Park Civics Blog
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