Lake Pat Cleburne could be used as a civic park, a tourist destination, an environmental and education park or some combination of the three, representatives from Jacobs Carter Burgess told Cleburne council members during a Tuesday workshop session.

The council authorized the company earlier this year to conduct a study on possible uses and future projects for the lake. City leaders called the lake an under-utilized gem with a myriad of possibilities.

Phillip Neely and Elizabeth McIllarth of JCB presented concept alternatives for the lake and surrounding area Tuesday. Company representatives earlier polled residents and groups to determine which amenities people would like to see at the lake. The wish list includes multiuse trails, playgrounds, boat ramps, equestrian trails, nature-preservation areas, beaches, camping, restaurants, an amphitheater and other amenities.

“This is obviously not a one-year plan,” Neely said. “It’s perhaps a 20 to 30 year vision.”

Council members agreed the project would have to be done in stages. Councilmen John Warren and Bob Force stressed the importance of having walking and biking trails completely circle the lake and the need to use all sides of the lake area.

The civic park concept would function mainly to serve area residents, McIllarth said. It would include a community park, a civic green and an open-spaced, community-activities area. Within those regions would be fishing, swimming, playground and picnic areas as well as areas for outdoor concerts, festivals and fireworks displays, she said.

The tourism-destination concept includes areas for retail activity along with a nature tourism area and an open-space, waterfront area for fishing, picnicking, group activities and so forth.

The learning-center concept includes an area for nature-based recreation, an outdoor learning center area and a wildflower area and a community park.

All three concepts include trails encircling the lake, and all complement the city golf course fronting a portion of Lake Pat.

The tourism concept could help Cleburne, Neely said.

“People travel considerably less distance now than they did two or three decades ago for a lake destination,” Neely said.

On the other hand, parks and lakes designed along nature-based concepts represent a growing trend in America, he said. He said features from the three concepts could be mixed and matched, however.

“You would just want to watch the balance between commercial and civic space so that it doesn’t get out of kilter,” Neely said.

The council took no action on the plans. Construction recently began on the new civic and performing arts center, and council members approved a temporary spending freeze on new capital projects, so a time frame for the lake project cannot be determined.

The next step, Neely said, would be to decide what direction council members want to take and draw plans up and calculate cost estimates. Steps beyond that include developing phases of the project and inquiring into possible grant funding, he said.

“We need to get with our citizens, park board and chamber members to get their input,” Mayor Ted Reynolds said. “Before we can give you an outline of what we want, we have to decide among ourselves and how we want to phase it in.”

Force recommended the park board discuss the various options and schedule a joint workshop with council members in about a month to discuss its choices.

Several workshops might be necessary before council members are ready to make any definite plans, Force said.

Force and other council members said they wholeheartedly support renovations at Lake Pat but stressed they need time to ensure any projects undertaken are carried out correctly.



Westmeadow Drive

Police Chief Terry Powell and Public Works Director David Esquivel told council members they recommend lowering the speed limit on Westmeadow Drive from 30 mph to 25 mph.

At the Oct. 21 council meeting, several residents raised concerns about drivers speeding through the residential area. Motorists often use the road as a shortcut to Cleburne High School and Wheat Middle School, they said.

Powell said he has since stationed officers in the area, especially during morning and afternoon hours when school traffic is heaviest, who have issued several citations for speeding.

Residents also asked that a stop sign, which used to be on the corner of Westmeadow and Turtle Dove streets be replaced.

“We looked at that stop sign,” Esquivel said. “But, according to the Uniform Traffic Code, it’s not a good idea to put stop signs at T intersections because they tend to confuse drivers.”

Council members weren’t so sure. Force suggested making the area a three-way stop.

“That’s just one group’s opinion,” Councilman Bob Kelly said. “I think some of the UTC’s rules cause more confusion. I think we may be taking up stop signs where we need them. We need to start using more common sense about what happens on our streets here.”

Reynolds added that he thought the stop sign was “very effective” when it was up.

“I say put the stop sign up and see if it works,” Warren said. “If it doesn’t, take it back down.”

Reynolds requested that both items — decreasing the speed limit and replacing the stop sign — be placed on the next council meeting agenda for a vote.

City officials and council members did not appear to favor the idea of installing speed bumps on the road. Councilman Kyle Boles said the option might be worth consideration should the speeding problem persist after other measures are taken, however.

Joshua Oakley, who lives on Westmeadow Drive and spoke at the Oct. 21 council meeting, said Thursday that he hopes council members vote in favor of both measures.

“Lowering the speed limit will help, but only if you keep police surveillance,” Oakley said. “Especially once they first lower it. [The police] need to hit it hard so people know what the limit is. They also need speed limit signs at each entrance of the street so people know.”

Oakley said he wishes city leaders would have more favorably considered installing speed bumps.

“Lowering the limit is a good start,” Oakley said. “But we still have to depend on the police. With speed bumps we don’t have to depend on anybody. People aren’t going to go speeding over those.”

The stop sign, in his opinion, has to be replaced, Oakley said. He also said the city should install one or more Children at Play signs in the neighborhood.