Mayor Scott LeMay delivered the annual State of the City Address Tuesday, Feb. 13 at the Atrium. Council Members Jeff Bass, Dylan Hedrick, Carissa Dutton, Ed Moore, Deborah Morris and Margaret Lucht, along with City Manager Judson Rex were also in attendance. The Austin Academy Jazz Band entertained the crowd.
Representatives from all the city departments were on-hand to answer questions and provide information about city services.
Calling 2023 “yet another exciting year in the city of Garland,” LeMay named a long list of accomplishments made last year, as well as many projects that are ongoing or on the city’s schedule.
A few of the current projects in process are:
- Central Library renovations that will include new amenities such as a makers space a slide and much more.
- A new and improved Walnut Creek Branch Library will be built near Hollabaugh Recreation Center.
- Hollabaugh Recreation Center will receive renovations and improvements.
- Holford Aquatics Center will have new pools, a new recreation center, indoor walking trail and more.
- A new Senior Center that will have various new features in a brand-new facility.
- The Draper, a new development where Garland Bank & Trust is located on Garland Avenue that also includes apartments at the old location of Wyatt’s Cafeteria.
Some of the accomplishments included:
- Opening of the renovated downtown square with a concert by Lee Ann Rimes and more than 10,000 attendees.
- Christmas on the Square returned to the downtown square with record attendance.
- Live music shows were showcased in several locations and will continue in 2024.
- A new Visitor Center opened.
- A boxer from the Ninth Street Boxing Gym made it to the Olympic Trials.
- City Hall hosted a well-attended NASA exhibit.
- Garland’s Pullman Rail Car received a State Historical Marker.
- The city purchased the old Jones Hardware building, and after renovations, it will house new amenities for the downtown area.
The mayor presented Make Your Mark awards to the VN United Football Club and the Vietnamese Community of Greater Dallas.
LeMay also announced that Garland’s 2024 Fourth of July celebration will move back to the downtown square.
For more information, visit www.garlandtx.gov.