From City Manager
Larry D. Groth
Historic Cameron Park is getting a much deserved
$7 million face-lift . Use by our citizens and visitors is steadily
on the rise.
Families are enjoying summer picnics, disc golfers
are flinging Frisbees, and most importantly, children are smiling
and climbing atop the new playground in Pecan Bottoms.
On this Friday, Aug. 8, we will host a ribbon-cutting
at the playground to celebrate the first completed project funded
through the bond election.
The expansive playground features equipment for children
ages 2 through 12 with a climbing rock and swings, while ramps provide
access to the play areas by children in wheelchairs.
Colored and stamped to look like water, the playground’s
sidewalks are inscribed with “Brazos River” and “Bosque River,”
which come together in Cameron Park. The playground, adjacent to
the pavilion, rest rooms and the popular splash pad, sits in a shaded
area that is a great place for active families to enjoy.
The City of Waco is focused on building for the future
with the bond funds, and what better way to start than by providing
a place for the youngest generation of our citizens to play.
The new playground also signifies the start of numerous
park projects leading up to Cameron Park’s 100th Anniversary in
2010.
In the coming months, construction will begin on new
fences to replace the aging stone walls at Cameron Park’s Lover’s
Leap, Emmons Cliff, and Circle Point. The 4-foot wrought iron fences
will include stone columns set approximately 25 feet apart. The
location of the new fences will parallel the existing walls location.
Replacing the solid wall with the new fence will provide an even
better view from these scenic areas. The new fences will be financed
through the general fund.
The major renovation of Cameron Park’s developed areas
will start in early 2009. Popular areas such as Redwood Shelter,
Jacob’s Ladder and Lover’s Leap will undergo major renovations and
improvements.
Due to the construction, many areas will be closed
to the public and park access will be limited during the next 18
months. However, the finished result will be worth the inconvenience.
A Cameron Park Centennial citizens committee is currently
making plans for the anniversary, and with the upcoming renovations,
the City of Waco is looking forward to celebrating and sharing this
wonderful natural treasure with the community for generations to
come.
The new playground at Pecan Bottoms is now open. It
represents the first of the Cameron Park bond projects to be completed.
(Photo by Mark Randolph)
City Staff Spotlight
New Employees
The Public Health District welcomes Regina Hall,
caseworker for the HIV/AIDS Division; Crystal Smedley, health
educator; and Scott Lewis, Sanitarian.
Promotions/Transfers
Robyn White, Library Services, has been promoted
to full time library technician.
Donna Shirey, Parks and Recreation, has transferred
to Solid Waste Services as a customer service representative.
Kelly Holecek, Purchasing, has been promoted
to program administrator.
Shawna Bolen, Planning Services, has transferred
to Housing & Community Development as a customer service representative.
Congratulations
Street Services selected Charlie Woods, equipment operator,
as their employee of the month for June.
Ezenwani Onwuchekwa, Public Health District, has passed
the entrance exam to become a Registered Sanitarian.
Teresa Bryant, Water Utility Services, has passed the test
for the Class A Water License.
Brandon Honea, Risk Management, is now a Certified Safety
Professional (CSP). To qualify, applicants must pass two exams,
each 200 questions long with the last one being 5.5 hours long.
Tests measure a person’s ability to understand safety, physics,
chemistry, management, communications, environmental aspects, fire
science, ethics, finance, statistics and industrial hygiene.
Water Utility Services selected Joe Alarcon as the Collection
and Distribution Employee of the Month for June.
Brazos Nights Awards
The Brazos Nights concert series received four marketing awards
at the Texas Festival and Events Association’s annual conference
on July 17-20 in Houston. In the $75,000 and under budget category,
Brazos Nights won the following:
- Best Sponsorship Package/ Proposal
- Best Street/Stage Banner
- Best TV Promotion (short)
- Best Full-Length TV Program
City of Waco employees Jonathan Cook, Megan Davis, Megan McClane,
all from Parks and Recreation; and Troy Shaw, Municipal Information,
were responsible for 100 percent of the design and work for these
award winners, while much of the competition outsourced similar
projects.
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