Heath City Council approved a final budget for the renovation of Towne Center Park at the September 24 meeting.

The completed park will be irrigated by an onsite well and funded separately through the utilities budget. No current city water supply will be used. (A Water Capital Improvement Plan to increase storage capacity and production potential will be presented at the November 12 City Council meeting.)

Landscaping for the renovative park will be a model for the use of Texas native, drought resistant materials that require minimal water.

“The Park Board and City staff navigated this project through the challenges of COVID, supply chain issues, labor shortages, cost increases and water concerns,”said Katie Dyer, Park Board chair.

“We are excited to have a final product that is within the budget and provides the amenities citizens said they wanted through surveys and public input opportunities,” she said. “There is something for every age and life stage, from toddlers to seniors.”

The park is funded through a partnership between the City and Heath Municipal Benefits Corporation to issue $30 million in bonds for this project as well as a new Department of Public Safety Station and Public Works facility without impacting the tax rate. A generous private donation was also made through the Parks And Trails of Heath (PATH) program.

The park renovation budget is $12,835,902.

The park is now closed to accommodate construction activities with an estimated completion of December 2025, in time for a Grand Re-Opening at the Annual Christmas in Heath event.