A project four years in the making, Magnolia’s 30-acre city park is finally headed toward a July 2010 opening.

Jonny Williams, president of the 4A Economic Development Corporation (EDC), along with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), which is funding the design and construction of the park, has been the driving force behind the project.

“It evolved into a pretty good project for the citizens,” Williams said.

Burditt, a natural resource consulting company, was hired by the city to design and oversee engineering on the park.

Construction will begin pending the finalization of construction documents to be used for the bidding process and choosing a contractor. Leroy Collins, a landscape architect with Burditt and the project manager for Unity Park, said they are 75 percent done on completing the documents.

“I’m hoping we can go out for bids by the end of the month and hopefully have something selected by the middle of October so the actual work can start in October,” Williams said.

 As previously reported in the Tribune, Phase 1 of the park’s construction, the cost of which was estimated at $2.5 million, includes paving roadways, clearing land and construction of a pavilion with restrooms and concession.

At an April meeting, the city council authorized the EDC to secure funding through sales tax revenue bonds. The park is also funded in part through a grant from the TPWD.

Collins said that so far the park is “moving along as planned.”

"Unity Park has some great potential because of its natural environment,” Collins said. “We’ve got the lake or pond, that’s existing, and we want to preserve as much natural area around that and improve the pond so people can use it and it can still look pretty natural.”

Collins said one of the challenges facing development of the park has been preserving the natural wetlands area that exists, which covers nearly four acres of the park.

“Preserving the wetlands and the more natural areas of the park, and meeting what the city would like to see at the park...those have been challenges,” Collins said.

However, Collins said every park “has different challenges in it,” and the timeline of the park’s creation so far has been normal for a project this size.

Features of the park will include a skate park, splash pad, walking paths and a pavilion that will be able to accommodate more than 500 people.

Williams said he is excited for students to be able to study the existing wetlands.

“They (TPWD) tell us we have one of the most unique wetland areas in this part of Texas,” Williams said.

Choosing the name “Unity” for the park came after “a lot” of brainstorming and discussion, Williams said.

“We’re trying to project or convey a message of unity,” he said. “Of people working together trying to get things done and improving the community through joint efforts.”

At 72 years old, one could say Williams is anxious to complete the park he has worked so hard on.

“I’m getting kind of tired,” he joked. “I want to get it done before I die.”

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