City of Haltom, TX — The City of Haltom’s Green Parks and Nature Trails Master Plan is on the grow.

In its latest move, Haltom has acquired three acres of prime land in the heart of the community to create a sculptured walking and jogging trail that links two of the City’s recreation areas, the nine-acre Haltom Road Park and the ten-acre Little Fossil Creek Park.

The acquisition marks an aggressive launch of the next phase of the City’s Master Plan to build out its parks and trails system. The purchase is the initial step in the Second Phase of the City’s plan, which includes expanding and upgrading area nature trails and creating additional facilities at the Little Fossil Creek Park recreation complex.  

This project will build a loop that allows citizens to enjoy a nature walk and jogging trail from Haltom Road Park along a path adjacent to Hadley Street across Fincher Street to access a side trail into Little Fossil Creek Park. The initial phase of the project involves creating a 6-8 foot concrete walking trail with benches, decorative security lighting and natural landscaping. The project also includes developing a low water crossing bridge at Little Fossil Creek that allows residents to safely cross the waterway.

The three-mile round trip trail is expected to be complete and open by January 2010. Total cost of the project is estimated at approximately $200,000. 

In later phases of this section of the plan, the City will add additional parking and build restroom facilities at the trail head adjacent to Little Fossil Creek Park. Plans also call for upgrading Little Fossil Creek Park’s family recreation area and sports facilities.

Under the overall master plan, the walking and bicycle trails and recreation areas ultimately will include trails and amenities that allow bikers and hikers to continuously travel from Buffalo Ridge Park north through Watauga to the Fort Worth trail system.

The City is awaiting approval from state government on grants totaling more than $1 million that will allow it to acquire additional land and to build facilities that will create the continuous links between the trails in each of the communities. A decision on the state grant applications is expected in August 2009.

Haltom already has received a $1.47 million federal matching grant from FEMA to buy and clear properties destroyed or irreparably damaged in the 2007 flooding of Skyline Mobile Home Estates near Whites Branch Creek in the northern part of the city. When the acquisition and construction are complete, the land will form an important link in the tri-city trail extension. 

“This is an exciting step for us because it links two of Haltom’s major recreation areas by a trail that actually upgrades the entire nature experience for our residents,” said Tom Henry, Director of Parks and Recreation. “It is another step in the City’s efforts to provide our residents with better ways to enjoy the city’s recreation facilities and to enhance the overall quality of life in our community.

“And in the bigger picture, it continues to set the stage for one of the most extensive and attractive network of nature trails in the state. This combination of trails, parks and facilities will allow citizens throughout the entire quad-cities area to experience and enjoy the natural beauty of our area in ways that were never possible before.”