Page 345 - Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

BENBROOK HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In the summer of 2013 one City Councilmember suggested that the City of Benbrook and Benbrook Library District
jointly consider funding a sidewalk in the north-side right-of-way along Mercedes Street between the Benbrook
Public Library and Winscott Road (Wells Fargo Bank). The proposed sidewalk section facilitates access to the
Benbrook Public Library, providing a connection for the existing pedestrian crossing at Winscott Road and Mercedes
Street for individuals traveling from the south and west. The Benbrook Library Board was amenable to a 50% cost
share for the project. The estimated total project cost was $13,000. City Staff managed the project on behalf of
both parties. The construction was bid, contracted, and completed in approximately a month.

The Winscott Road/Lakeside Drive Hike and Bike Trail Extension Project was completed in 2012-13 with financing
through the Capital Projects Fund. In 2013-14, a portion of the overlay program is intended to construct a twelve-foot
wide asphalt hike and bike trail on the south side of Winscott Road from Beach Road to the east parking lot of the
Benbrook Community Center/YMCA and to seal the existing trails on both sides of Winscott Road.

In summer 2013, the City of Benbrook was approached by several local garden enthusiasts interested in establishing
a Benbrook Community Garden at Dutch Branch Park. These citizens hosted several public meetings to gauge
community interest and formed an informal volunteer group, Benbrook Community Gardens. City Staff reviewed
their plans, obtained cost estimates for infrastructure, and submitted a proposal to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
to seek permission to use a portion of the park for this purpose. The Benbrook Community Gardens group received
City Council approval to fund the infrastructure costs. Council also approved a resolution establishing the Benbrook
Community Garden; the resolution outlines the City’s expectations of the Benbrook Community Gardens group.

Community gardens promote the art of gardening; provide an opportunity for residents to grow and harvest their
own produce; encourage the use of native and adaptive plants for a region; educate younger generations; conserve
resources; and provide opportunities for recreation and exercise. Community Gardens are often established on
public lands, and managed, through agreement, by non-profit volunteer organizations. The current Benbrook
Community Gardens group, with approximately twenty members, includes two Tarrant Area Master Gardeners, an
officer of the Waverly Park Garden Club, lifelong gardeners/farmers, a registered dietician, and experts in organic
gardening practices.

CITY OF BENBROOK 2018-19 ANNUAL BUDGET
344