THRALL – A $20,000 expansion to Thrall City Park will add space for more families to enjoy small town life, says its mayor, Troy Marx.
The addition to the park is under construction and is scheduled to be finished in time for the city’s annual Christmas in the Park event Sunday, Dec. 4 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The public is invited to bring the kids to meet Santa at the newly built stage area.
“The expansion will make it a more family-friendly place,” Marx said. “We’ll put in a hill for kids to roll down. We’ll do movies in the park and monthly music concerts. There’ll be tether ball poles and space for people to kick a soccer ball or throw a football.”
Funding for the expansion is coming from a federal art grant intended to help cities rebuild after the pandemic.
“The city bought the property two years ago and the seller really wanted it to be used as something for the community rather than going to developers,” Marx said. “We’re honoring her wishes by expanding the park here.”
The park, located at 104 S. Main St. next to City Hall, currently features a playscape and large pavilion, but the expansion is intended to serve as a more natural area. Plans call for boulders and tree stumps for kids to climb on, native plantings and grasses, an arbor and benches.
Located less than 20 minutes from the new Samsung plant, Thrall has seen some growth but not the exponential growth Taylor and Hutto are dealing with.
“There is one new housing subdivision with 65 homes completed,” Marx said. “The second phase will add another 90 houses and the developer doesn’t have a park in it. The pavilion gets used a lot by the community and with the money from the government that’s intended for rebuilding the community, it’s a really good time to do this.”
Marx has served as Thrall’s mayor for 18 years and says that it is a stable community.
“We have a little bit of commercial development,” he said. “Other than the new subdivision, there hasn’t been a whole lot of growth in Thrall. It’s nice because we’re able to shape the city and keep it as a community everyone’s proud to be part of. As it grows it will change, but we want to make sure its heritage stays alive.”
