Lions Park

Revitalization Banner

The Future of Lions Park

Project Timeline

Timeline schedule for Lions Park Revitalization Project. 

Progress To-Date

  • May 3: Lions Club Stakeholder Meeting
  • May 3: Public Meeting #1 (Slides(PDF, 6MB))
  • May 3 - June 18: Community-Wide Online Survey >> Nearly 2,000 Participants! 
  • June 1: Public Meeting #1 (Virtual Recap)
  • June 9: Promo Booth at Brazos Nights Concert Series
  • June 14: Promo Booth at Bridge Street Farmer's Market
  • June 17: Promo & Postcard Handouts at Juneteenth Parade
  • June 21: Waco Parks & Recreation Summer Camp Youth Focus Groups >> Nearly 200 Participants!
  • June 21 - July 10: Online Feedback Survey
  • June 26: Public Meeting #2 (Slides(PDF, 6MB))
  • July 12: Waco Youth Council Young Adult Focus Group Field Trip >> Toured 5 Great Texas Parks!
  • July 20: Public Meeting #3 (Slides(PDF, 16MB))
  • July 21-31: Online Feedback Survey 
  • November 9: Public Meeting #4

About the Project

Lions Park Pool

The City of Waco, Lions Park Trust Board, and many community partners are excited to work with the community to reimagine Lions Park for the future of Waco. Lions Park will remain a fixture in the hearts of generations of Wacoans; to those that played and raised families there, and to those that selflessly gave their time and efforts to build and operate this community treasure.

This will be a long-term project requiring a big imagination!

In 2018, Waco Foundation convened a group of partners interested in the park and ultimately commissioned a survey that received more than 2,000 responses from Wacoans. The results of the survey were overwhelmingly positive when asked about its value to the community. Following this, the City of Waco made a commitment to revitalize this historic parkland.

In 2021 and 2022, the City of Waco allocated $2 million in initial funding for the redevelopment effort. Included in funding was support for Lions' transition and move out, environmental compliance and permitting, and the site cleanup contract. Funds will further support the outreach and design process. The balance will contribute towards the future construction costs, to be supplemented by a number of sources and partners.

The project is currently in the initial concept and design phase which focuses on gathering community input and includes four public meetings, a community survey and focus groups. Waco Parks and Recreation Director Jonathan Cook said the city is going into this process with no preconceived notions and an open mind.

History of Lions Park

We love reminiscing about Lions Park and all the stories from Wacoans about how they spent so much time there growing up. While the park you knew will be reimagined, the memories last forever!

Lions Park was established in 1952 by the Waco Lions as a unique and widely popular place for children. Volunteers and other community organizations have donated hundreds of hours and numerous resources to contribute to this local institution. The park has entertained generations of local families and visitors to Waco and was a must-do stop for any child, or children at heart.

When the Waco Lions began discussing providing a recreation area for the youth of Waco, it was William L. Baine who provided many of the ideas and design for the layout of the park. He developed the plans for the entrance way, supervised its construction, and the overall landscaping plan. He also supervised the landscaping. As a result of his efforts, Lions Park grew into a million-dollar effort and became known as one of the most beautiful areas in Waco.

In August if that year, the first part of a recreational plan was put into motion for what became known as Lions Park. Plans were coordinated and approved by the City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department. The overall project, over a period of five years, was estimated to cost approximately $255,000.

Features in the park built over the years included a grandstand, bleachers, a baseball diamond and a putt-putt golf course. A swimming pool was also added and at the time, the opening day was televised and claimed by the tile industry to be the largest swimming pool in the State of Texas.

In June of 1965, Kiddie Land was added to Lions Park and continued to expand with rides like go-karts, a large slide and a train.

Additional Articles

FAQs

Will the park look the same or have the same attractions?

Anything is possible, but we just don’t know yet. If anything is brought back, it will most likely be new.

The City of Waco will be engaging with a professional consulting firm to devise a complete master plan for the park. This website is the best place to stay informed along the way!

As we move forward in the process, strategic planning will happen with committees, community input (including kids) and from that, we hope to have a solid plan about what shape the park takes in the future.

Can we donate money to the park?

At some point there could be an opportunity for fundraising depending on the design and development phases.

How long will the planning process take?

Planning will be taking place for the park during the next 18 months.

Location

1716 N. 42nd Street, Waco, TX 76710  View Map

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