The first project from Garland’s $423.7 million bond program, approved by residents just nine months ago, is officially on the ground. New LED field lights are in place, awaiting the start of soccer season at Winters Park.
A Flip the Switch ceremony is planned for 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, culminating with the first night games of the spring youth soccer season. Mayor Scott LeMay and City Manager Bryan Bradford will lead a short program from an area near the concession stand at the Winters Park soccer fields, 1601 Spring Creek Drive.
Not only is the project’s completion a quick turnaround from the vote to reinvest in Garland and its parks, the lights were replaced between the Nov. 17 completion of the fall soccer season and the spring season kickoff. While providing better lighting for the players and families within the park, the new lights are also better concentrated on the park and far less intrusive to neighboring residential and retail properties and Garland Independent School District campuses.
Parks and quality of life were major focal points of the May 2019 bond election, in which eight items were all passed by the voters. The Winters lighting project is first of $117.75 million in resident-approved parks projects that will be completed.