Murphy received both an outdoor and indoor recreation grant totaling $1.25 million, awarded by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Jan. 28.

“This is a great achievement and allows the city of Murphy to continue forward with the development of new and improved amenities within its parks system,” said Murphy Parks Development Manager Kim Lenoir. “Murphy had two outstanding and unique projects that matched the goals and objectives of the Texas Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan and was therefore awarded these grants.” 

Murphy will receive $750,000 in a matching indoor grant to renovate the existing Old Murphy School Community Center into a recreation center. The 10,000-square-foot building is located near the center of town at 205 N. Murphy Road (across from the Municipal Center).  It will be the city’s first recreation center. Plans include a gymnasium with track, stage, game room, children’s play room/classroom, dance/exercise room, arts and crafts room, club room/work room, office, restrooms, kitchen and a xeriscape demonstration garden with drip irrigation and landscaping.

In addition, Murphy will receive a $500,000 matching outdoor recreation grant to develop Community Park and expand the Maxwell Creek Greenbelt. The state monies will be used to develop an amphitheater, playground, lacrosse fields, trails with pedestrian bridge, sprayground with shade structure, environmental interpretive signs, picnic tables, pavilion, landscaping and program signs. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 million.

“The city is very fortunate to receive these grants,” said City Manager James Fisher. “Kim Lenoir, parks manager, did a fantastic job of preparing the grant application and presenting our needs to the Parks and Wildlife Commission. It is through her leadership Murphy will attain a first-class parks system that everyone in the community will be proud of to visit. The grants also further our commitment to the community of stretching their bond dollars to the fullest by applying and receiving grant dollars.”
 

TPWD received eight grant applications for the indoor recreation grant requesting approximately $5 million. TPWD awarded two projects, with Murphy’s project ranking first in the state. City matching funds for the project will include the voter-approved November 2008 bond funds and dedication of the city-owned non-parkland. The Old Murphy School Community Center project will include renovations of the existing building, gymnasium, stage, lobby, meeting rooms, and office.  Some additions to the building will include a new kitchen, restrooms, multipurpose recreation rooms, landscaping, and parking.

“I think the grant award will allow our bond dollars to go much further. This is great news,” said Councilmember John Daugherty. “Kim Lenoir, our parks manager, has made it a top priority to write concise, compelling grant applications in order to supplement our bond program and also, Collin County saw that these projects were not ‘pie in the sky’ wishes but actual doable projects.”

Councilmember Colleen Halbert said Lenoir is to be congratulated. 

“It is due to the hard work and excellent reputation of Kim Lenoir that we were able to get these two grants,” she said.  “Ms. Lenoir is well respected in the field, and that has been a real asset to Murphy.

“I’m particularly excited about the Indoor Grant. The voters gave their approval to move forward with renovating the Old City Hall/Schoolhouse for use as a much needed Community Center. The grant will allow us to make the bond dollars reach farther and give the community the quality facility they have asked for.”

In reviewing the grant application, the Texas Historical Commission determined that the Old Murphy School building, which was constructed in 1938, is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under the criterion for social history and for architecture. THC will assist the city with design options to maintain the historical integrity of the building. The city wants to maintain the historical significance of the building and make it a viable community center that is desired for all the citizens of Murphy, Lenoir said.

Citizen input, old photos needed

On Feb. 16, the Parks & Recreation Board will request comments from the public as to the desires, requests and ideas for maintaining the historic integrity of the Old Murphy School building and needed amenities for the community center. Lenoir said the city is seeking copies of historical pictures of the building and/or students/teachers that attended the school.  The city will make copies of any pictures the citizens bring to City Hall.
 

Additionally, the award of the $500,000 Matching Outdoor Grant, also applied for in July 2009, will allow the city to begin the park project on the property surrounding the City Municipal Complex. TPWD received 32 Outdoor Grant Program applications requesting $14.4 million with approximately $3 million available to award.  TPWD awarded seven projects; Murphy’s project ranked second in the state.  

City matching funds for this project will be from donation/dedication of city-owned non-parkland, MCDC funds, trail bond funds, in-kind labor/equipment, and community donations.

The project includes a large community spray ground with shade structures, a small playground, phase I of an amphitheater, two irrigated lacrosse/soccer fields, pavilion, picnic tables, a nature trail, concrete trail connections from the city complex to The Preserve on Maxwell Creek Trails, and a pedestrian bridge and trails on the southern end of the existing trail to North Maxwell Creek Road with trail connections to Murphy Marketplace.  

On Feb. 17, the Murphy Community Development Corporation Board will be reviewing design options for the proposed amphitheater prepared by park planners Dunkin Sims Stoffels Inc. of Dallas. 

Planning and design for both projects will proceed over the next five months. Lenoir said several public hearings and town hall meetings will be announced as the plans are prepared.  

“The state allows three years to complete these projects, but our goal is to complete in two years,” she added. Planning is underway and construction should begin late 2010.

To apply for the grants, the park board and city council updated the Park Master Plan which was approved by the TPWD. Then city staff, Dennis Sims (park planner), and the park board prepared a project and budget for the applications. City council authorized the applications in July 2009.  

“These projects compete statewide and are very difficult to get,” Lenoir said. “Murphy had two outstanding projects that met the requirements of these grant programs.”

Murphy previously received two TPWD grants: a $195,100 grant one in 1997 for construction of City Park and $500,000 in 2005 for the construction of the Maxwell Creek Trails project.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved more than $4.5 million in competitive grants for city and county parks, sport complexes, nature trails and recreation centers across the state. Nine out of 40 eligible grant requests for indoor and outdoor recreational facilities were chosen by the commission for funding.

In addition to the $500,000 city of Murphy outdoor grant, the commission also okayed more than $2.5 million in Outdoor Recreation Grants to help fund six other projects out of the 32 eligible projects for which funding was sought. Funding for these 50-50 matching grants is made possible through the TRPA and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Share This Story: