Council approves plans for parks at lake

WYLIE, TX – Wylie City Councilmembers at their Tuesday meeting approved selecting some concept plans to upgrade East Fork Park and Avalon Park at Lavon Lake.

Elizabeth McIlrath from Dunaway Associates, consultant on the design project, spoke to the council about its options. In 2020, the city council adopted the newest Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan. The plan identified priorities for parks and recreation facility development based on resident, city council, parks and recreation board and staff input, according to city officials. Two areas of development that people wanted are various aquatics amenities and park development in and around Lavon Lake. City Manager Chris Holsted said Thursday there are multiple ways to fund the improvements, depending on which improvements are recommended and the cost of those improvements. A bond issue is one way to fund the improvements.

On Tuesday, councilmembers chose between two plans for both parks, with each plan showing several features. Plans for both parks also featured different site patterns. East Fork Park would have a camping focus with supporting activities: an equestrian loop, cabins and nature trails, boat ramp, reconfigured RV loops, shoreline day use, primitive camping, parking and boat ramp and glamping. Glamping is essentially camping without the “roughing it” element.

Avalon would be a community park for lakefront gatherings and events, and councilmembers selected a plan with some features similar to that of East Fork.

Dunaway will now conduct a preliminary master plan and then eventually will do a financial feasibility analysis and a final master plan.

Also Tuesday, the council also tabled action on a proposed amendment allowing for the sale, possession, and consumption of an alcoholic beverage, as those terms are defined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, for special events approved by the city council or the city manager or their designee, at a park, recreational area or other public open space or facility or structure owned, leased or operated by the city. The council will examine the matter in a work session at its first meeting in May.