Mayor Gerard Hudspeth
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth
As we approach autumn, with its cooler weather and shorter days, I find myself thankful for so much. As Denton’s mayor, I get the opportunity to watch us grow together and move our city forward.
With the construction of the new police substation and firing range adjacent to Fire Station #7 on Vintage Boulevard nearing completion, I know the city is positioning itself correctly for the future. Both facilities are projected to be fully operational this fall, ushering in opportunity for police to rapidly respond in the growing southwest area of the city. Despite supply chain and other unforeseen issues, the police headquarters renovation in downtown is progressing and expected to be complete by late winter this year or early next spring, too.
New playgrounds in the southern portion of the city will be installed this coming fall at both Cross Timbers North Park and Cross Timbers South Park. These will create new places for families and individuals to spend time in the great outdoors. If you get the opportunity to spend some time outside with the cooler fall temperatures (and hopefully a few less mosquitoes), stop by these new park spaces or visit Downtown Denton. If you haven’t been lately, the four corners of the Square downtown are now all-way crossings, allowing a pedestrian-only phase to improve safety and allow pedestrians to cross diagonally, making it easier to navigate without vehicles turning.
We are also nearing completion of landscaping enhancements in the medians along FM 2499. Planting of the landscape was delayed due to the high heat of the summer but is now in process. Planning and design are also underway for future landscaping on US 377, beautifying many of the routes you may take on your way downtown. Both projects were funded by TXDOT Green Ribbon grants, and we’re eager to see them completed soon.
State of the City is on the horizon, and I hope you will join me in attendance on Nov. 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Community members are invited to attend and to visit various city departments’ interactive exhibits, educational experiences, and valuable materials. Attendees will also hear from City of Denton leaders on successes from this past year and plans for the foreseeable future. Join us for the event at the Equestrian Ballroom at the Embassy Suites – Denton Convention Center at 3100 Town Center Trail, Denton, Texas 76201.
Seeing Denton plan proactively is encouraging and uplifting. From parks to police, green space to landscapes, we’re continuing to build a Denton we’re all proud of—a city we can hope our children and grandchildren will be proud to call home, too.
I look forward to the year ahead for the city and sharing that new year here in Denton with you!