At a December City Council meeting, staff provided information about space for additional tennis courts at the tennis center at Rick Oden Park.
Staff had reworked the original option for the renovation of the tennis center and park to create a second option that would clear additional space between the tennis center and the baseball field for future expansion. This would make room for seven courts.
Another option, the relocation of the tennis center, was also discussed. The courts at Rick Oden have flooded in the past and If seven courts were added, at least three or four of them would still be in the floodplain.
Tuckerville Park was discussed as a possible location for the tennis center. There would be room for expansion if needed in the future and former Mayor Bob Day said that Tuckerville Park has advantages over Rick Oden Park as it is on a major thoroughfare and has no problems with flooding.
District 1 Council Member David Gibbons is concerned about the cost associated with moving the center to Tuckerville. As undeveloped land, the property has no infrastructure. Streets would have to be added and water and electric utilities be brought in.
Gibbons is also concerned about the Tuckerville location because the property had been previously earmarked for a softball complex to be named after M. D. Williams, whose grandmother, Ora Lee Tucker and her family had lived on that property at one time. Consequently, it is considered to be the old family homestead.
Naming the complex in honor of Williams, who passed away in 1999, would also recognize his extensive work and involvement in Garland’s little league programs.
The property consists of 62 acres and would be large enough for the softball complex and the tennis center.
At the end of the discussion, consensus was reached to not build additional courts at Rick Oden Park and possibly relocate the tennis center at some time in the future.