City of Rockwall News Briefs

Rockwall park named for former mayor

(ROCKWALL – December 5, 2012) A planned 50 acre north community park in the City of Rockwall has been named in honor of former mayor Alma Williams Howard.

Howard served on the city’s park board for 10 years and on the Rockwall City Council for eight years, including two years as mayor. She has been an active public servant for more than 30 years in Rockwall County, holding various elected, appointed and volunteer positions.

During her term as mayor, she facilitated the implementation of the half-cent sales tax to fund the Rockwall Economic Development Corporation and the expansion of SH-740 and SH-205 were planned and approved during that time.  Commenting on the honor, Howard said, “I am deeply honored and humbled.”

The Park Board made the recommendation and the City Council unanimously approved to recognize and honor Howard at the meeting on December 3.  The Alma Williams Howard Park is located east of FM 1141 and south of North Country Lane.

Youth practice area designated

Six acres of the Alma Williams Howard Park at North Country Lane and FM 1141 will be developed by the City of Rockwall as a temporary youth sports practice area.

Council members approved the plan this week on the recommendation of the city’s Parks and Recreation Board.

The site is located across from Hayes Elementary and will be developed with a large turf area for athletic team use.  This action comes as a result of increased demand by area sports teams to practice both baseball and soccer that they had practiced in other neighborhood parks.  The project will be completed and ready for use by summer 2013, and teams will be required to schedule use of the practice fields.

Funding for the project will come from the city’s Recreation Development Fund.

For more information on the City’s Facility Use Policy, call the parks department office at 972-771-7761.

City wants grant funding restored

A resolution requesting that the state’s 83^rd Legislative Session restore full funding to the Texas Recreation and Parks Account to fund local park grants was approved recently by the Rockwall City Council.  The fund, administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, consisted of sales tax collected from the sale of sporting goods in Texas to assist local agencies with the cost of acquiring and the construction of local parks. In the 82^nd session of the legislature, funding for the local park grant program was cut 96%. The remaining 4% was designated for administrative costs for current projects and the federal pass-thru program funds.

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