Park Board Minutes - 02/26/2026 Wichita Falls Park Board Meeting
February 26, 2026
W.F. Recreation Center
600 11 th St. Room 205
Time: 1:30pm
Presiding: Jim Heiman
Members Present: Tim Lockhart, Sandy Fleming, Steve Garner
Larri Jean Jacoby, Jack Roe, Penny Miller
Members Absent: Dawn Ferrell, Josh Phillips, Gary Fieldsend
City Council Representative: Absent
Other: Scott Powell, Kalee Robinson, Jason;Roberts
CALL TO ORDER:
Jim Heiman called the meeting to order at 1:30 pm
Kalee Robinson interduced the new Recrection Susperintendent Jason
Roberts.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
The minutes from January 22, 2026 were put before the Board for approval,
Penny Miller made the motion to approve the minutes and Steve Garner
second the motion.
2. DEPARTMENTAL REPORT:
A. Parks:
• Report was handed out to all members. See Attached
• RC Air Park Dedication to rename to "Eddie Hill Air Park is schedule,for
Friday March 20, 2026 @ 11:30am at Lake Wichita Park
• Working on plan for the Riverside Cemetery
B. Recreation:
• Report was handed out to all members. See Attached
• 50 plus Zone Coordinator job has been posted
• CVB landed the "Top Gun Fast Pitch Tournament in Oct and will be held
at the Softball Complex over 600 players expected.
C. Lake Wichita Revitalization Committee:
• No update
D. Master Plan:
• Working on Parks Foundation Board of Directors, it will consist of
2 Park Board members, 2 City Council members, 3 Citizens and Kalee
Robinson will be the "Ex-Offcio member
F. Other Business, Announcements, Comments: ,
• 4B board agree on 1.5 million for the Tennis Center remodel
• Information on the cost for the "Falls" construction was talked about
• Softball complex restroom remodel is underway
Adjourned: 2:
Signature: (Art 1/4.1)JI 4
Park Board Update— Recreation—2/26/26
50+Zone
• February visits (as of 2/23)—3116 (647 unique members). Average 195/day
• 3 Friday band dances—259 participants total
• Bingo—485 participants as of 2/24
• 50+Zone Coordinator job is posted
• Working with vendors for options on weight room equipment replacement
• Jason completed Food Manager training to ensure kitchens at Rec and softball complex
are compliant
Athletics
• Spring/summer softball tournament season gets underway with a high school
tournament February 26-28 at the softball complex
• Registration is open for spring league softball—anticipate around 50 teams across all
divisions
• Bathroom project in progress at softball complex
• Kalee is working on shade quotes •
• Interviews next week for Raymond Hessinger's old position (Senior Recreational
Maintenance Worker)
Aquatics
• Getting quotes for pump room updates necessary to bring pool up to state code
• Current system isn't capable of moving water quickly enough to meet turnover rate,
causing water quality issues
• Secondary sanitation system is needed per code (supplemental chemical designed to kill
chlorine resistant bacteria). Vendor will supply the equipment, only cost will be the
chemical itself.
Recreation
• Conoco Park Grand Opening& Lucky Leprechaun Dog Parade March 4
• Kid's fishing rodeo March 7 at Plum Lake 10am-12pm
• Spring break youth art camp March 9-12
• March 28--Spring Fling Easter Festival at Hamilton Park. Pivoting from traditional egg
hunt, giving out eggs as prizes for games (some eggs will be winners and earn the child a
small Easter bag filled with goodies)
• Concerts in the park almost booked out for May-October
• Looking for a new dance instructor (current one got a full time job)
Tennis
• Pre-league clinic(Feb 17 and 24)— 18 participants
• Private & Group Lessons—January, 38 participants
• Private & Group Lessons—February, 73 participants
• Open play court#9--3 participants
• Sunday, February 15th—1 day attendance record — 119 players
Parks Report2/26/2026
To help with the suppression of the sandbur(grassbur) problem in high traffic
areas in our Parks we have applied pre-emergent around all the playgrounds and
shelters.
Crews are continuing with winter projects, painting park facilities, mulching,
cutting back our perennial beds and removing dead trees.
The metal roof on the south side of the pavilion at Lucy Land has been replaced.
The Grand Opening of the Conoco Dog Park will take place at 3pm on March 4t„.
We will have a fun costume contest, a few prizes/giveaways and Animal
Services will be joining us as well with some adoptable pets.
The Texas Historical Marker of the Wichita Fails Traction Company was located on
a property on Collins and Harrison. The property is going up for auction. The
marker has been moved to Bridwell Park and we will be having a Rededication at
Bridwell Park on March 19th from 2:30— 3:00. Riverside brick column has been
repaired
Update from last meeting
• Riverside brick column has been repaired
• The new Poligon shelter and picnic table installation at Lucy Park has been
completed.
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26/02/2026, 11:29 Wichita Falls Traction Company Historical MarkerMCb.C111 Feb.26,2026
THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE "Bite Size Bits of Local, National,and Global History"
(Wichita Falls in Wichita County,Texas— The American South(West South Central)
Wichita Falls Traction Company
Inscription. 4) This company, founded by Frank L.. t.
Kell and J.A. Kemp in 1909, played a major role in
Wichita Falls' growth during the early 20th century. ' : ;
After purchasing undeveloped land between the city
limits and Lake Wichita, the company stimulated erns
demand for it by building an electric streetcar system
lC
to the area. With the new ease and speed of travel, wiCHiTS FAt.t.s TA ION COMPA'vl
what formerly had been the city's outskirts became a 4, " 'EF 'A.
convenient place to live. The city grew rapidly along
the streetcar route and the company profited from its r Akt
real estate speculation. Buses replaced the streetcars = E rc
Tr't ANEA. Y IH rt
in 1933. 'a Ew ;A:it AND SPEED OF TRAVEL,
WHA fORm1RLY HAD BEEN THE
'?Ei.AME A COME- -„'
441EMT PIA)t. TO ;.ivE.THE CITY GREW
TAPIDLY ALONG THE STREETCAR ROUTE
Erected 1992 byTexas Historical Commission. - AND THE COMPANY PROFITED FROM
V� -S REAL ESTATE SPECUEAT 04 BUSES
(Marker Number 5806.) ""a`E° '" S'� ic33 •
xis
Topics" This historical marker is listed in this topic ' ' � � As=
list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year P otograp e. .y James Hu se,Octo.er26,2025
for this entry is 1909. 1. Wichita Falls MTrrker Company a
Location. 33° 53.812' N, 98° 30.701' W. Marker is in Wichita Falls, Texas, in Wichita County.
It is at the intersection of Collins Avenue and Harrison Street, on the right when traveling east
on Collins Avenue. The marker is located along the sidewalk near the intersection. Touch for
map. Marker is in this post office area: Wichita Falls TX 76309, United States of America. Touch
for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one
mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Wichita Falls Woman's Forum
r' 1
•
:11h"r' (approx. 0.6 miles away); Bethania Hospital (approx. 3/4 mile away); Wichita
• ''v General Hospital (approx. 3/4 mile away); St. Paul Lutheran Church (approx.
Click or scan to see
0.9 miles away); Riverside Cemetery(approx. 0.9 miles away); Wichita Falls
this page online Junior College (approx. one mile away); Frank Kell (approx. one mile away);
httpsalwww.hmdb.orglm.asp?m=287378 1/2