[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6666473,"mediaKeyId","2330835-0963e463e81cc46311ad2561a0b5d8c2","parentId",2330835,"title","Park board backs Lake Fort Phantom boat-ramp improvements, estimates about $2.5 million for northwest ramp","audioSeconds",469,"startMs",1355000,"endMs",1824000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2330835-0963e463e81cc46311ad2561a0b5d8c2&start=1355&end=1824","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2330835-0963e463e81cc46311ad2561a0b5d8c2/thumbnail_1355000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6666473/Abilene/Taylor-County/Texas/Park-board-backs-Lake-Fort-Phantom-boat-ramp-improvements-estimates-about-25-million-for-northwest-ramp","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666473-adb76961cb5a14997c517c334610c93d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200724&Signature=EZAvjSo8L70G9Y3tch36DFIy4eL1~KNFQOzbW-zwP-~xbl4KnITHi6xYz4HNgHxy1Ecn6-ThLHpsUlHEChvbCu3pZFu81Bxf6~kaVQ9RFMb0iULlQGIptL6~HKsK4nWF0s0EyvUnQkhs-JHENopKg7JUB4fDmi2IKsNN8Ei6l~O9ymfs548z575-wLk1A24npoaXOWxANf4aTGbxPaGT5AyBG2hs85J7JARylkZ07WEweclTxJQ6XAHkAH5pn9Jri5lL83i7tXavnZbwU-WGRDmln1d~ZeaqiiYSz5VwlpKbAuXGp5Prec1OKKFEuo-bdBZR1S8i5CNOPi4QTg4QlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Abilene","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","The Abilene Park and Recreation Board voted to advance proposed improvement projects at Lake Fort Phantom, approving staff to refer the design and bid-ready materials to City Council for funding consideration.

Staff said the work responds to long-term low-water conditions and structural deterioration of ramp pavement. The northwest ramp proposal calls for repairing and extending the ramp to make it usable at lake levels observed during the 2014 low-water period; because the Johnson Park ramp is wide, staff recommended extending roughly half of that width to the lower elevation. Staff described the work as including ramp repair, asphalt and concrete replacement, lighting, a new restroom, earthwork and a cofferdam construction sequence to allow work in the dry.

For the northwest ramp, staff provided an opinion of probable cost of about $2,500,000 if construction proceeds in January 2026. The southeast ramp proposal includes extending four lanes and repairing washouts and also contemplates adding a Float-on EasyDock slip to allow temporary docking so boaters can move vehicles and trailers off launch lanes.

\"What we're proposing here is to actually extend the boat ramps to be usable at what the water level was in 2014,\" staff said during the presentation, noting the project will require permitting because it touches the lake bed and could seek Texas Parks and Wildlife grant funding if timing and grant windows align.

Board members moved and seconded to approve the proposed improvement projects; the motion carried and staff were directed to tell City Council that the Parks Board supports moving the project into design and hard-bid phases. Staff emphasized the project will require permitting and additional coordination and that a grant application route is being pursued in parallel.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the motion to advance the Lake Fort Phantom ramp projects to City Council with design and bidding authorization. The meeting transcript recorded the motion and the board’s affirmative voice vote; no roll-call tally was included in the record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Abilene - Parks and Recreation - Feb 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Abilene Park and Recreation Board voted to advance design and bidding for boat-ramp improvements at Lake Fort Phantom, including ramp extensions, lighting and a restroom, and to seek council funding and permitting.","taxTitle","Abilene, Taylor County, Texas","taxId",2817,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6666476,"Park board rejects proposed native-camping policy for Seedy and Johnson parks",963,375000,1338000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2330835-0963e463e81cc46311ad2561a0b5d8c2&start=375&end=1338","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2330835-0963e463e81cc46311ad2561a0b5d8c2/thumbnail_375000.jpg","/articles/6666476/Abilene/Taylor-County/Texas/Park-board-rejects-proposed-native-camping-policy-for-Seedy-and-Johnson-parks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666476-622ed762c7bed4e68c1e1454596bb64f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200724&Signature=FTHPUVNjJn74Kg2Zvx3ODco5k5~GhrwFpQ5rnqypdyMk7OiDBH9CQX6Rcwo7rtj91wB9cwAU8jZJ58V0WRUeZrR6SBXIibn-P2UyhWJoktlZ9lbmTtUZnF5bnzO10VenYSIsmu8drGhSq~owS1zpqx7w8Rd36oS9MgE43GLgAIBbsCcjwDMWFu91CsFNiecx~ulIdPx3Bh3zuKY0M6ZFMYTz1HDe5ZO6C3JoQh4WsOD28jSzZ3mptBtJIQe6bjnItc2bqH3mitgTUpL0~bQbrBTlCZf2f~ClO7lX57Y5Xre4eDNTkKa0-BvQwBOqvAZoSqt2QXg6MPHkDmvFmu2RLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Abilene Park and Recreation Board on an unspecified date voted against adopting a new native-camping policy for Seedy Park and Johnson Park after a public hearing and extended discussion.

Chris Gibson, assistant director of Parks and Recreation, presented the draft policy and described its key provisions: staff proposed extending allowable native-camping duration from 48 hours to 72 hours, charging a $22 daily camping fee with a three-day maximum of $66, and limiting each permit to a maximum of eight people and up to two tents. \"We are asking to charge a camping fee, which is $22 per, day or 24 hour period with a maximum of 3 days or 72 hours, maximum with an amount of $66 total for 3 days,\" Gibson told the board.

Gibson said the rules borrow enforcement concepts from state parks and would designate the city's marshal's office and lake patrol as the primary enforcers. The policy also proposed quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., designated fire restrictions tied to local burn bans, and a \"Leave No Trace\" requirement for campers. Staff said permits would be issued through the department's software platform and could be accessed via QR code.

Board members questioned operational details, including tent sizing and how the fees would relate to maintenance costs. Gibson said the fee was intended to be competitive with other parks rather than calculated as a return-on-investment model and that revenues would be deposited to park maintenance accounts. When asked who would clean up after campers, Gibson said park maintenance crews would continue routine trash and restroom servicing and the permit structure would allow enforcement and penalties for violators.

During the vote, one board member offered a brief statement expressing concern about definitions for quiet hours: \"Nay. I'd just like like to see a little bit more definition on the quiet hours.\" That member's objection was recorded as part of the vote, and the motion to adopt the policy failed. The board thanked staff for the work and directed staff to return with more discussion and a revised draft.

The proposed camping ordinance change has already passed a city-council first reading and staff said they plan to take the ordinance to second reading; the board's action means the department will rework the policy language before resubmission to the council.","The Abilene Park and Recreation Board voted down a proposed \"native camping\" policy that would have extended allowed stays from 48 to 72 hours, established a $22-per-day permit fee (maximum $66), and limited permits to eight people and two tents; staff will revise the proposal after board concerns about quiet hours and enforcement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6666480,"Park board approves Wiley Softball fences and batting cages at Lake Kirby Park",255,105000,360000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2330835-0963e463e81cc46311ad2561a0b5d8c2&start=105&end=360","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2330835-0963e463e81cc46311ad2561a0b5d8c2/thumbnail_105000.jpg","/articles/6666480/Abilene/Taylor-County/Texas/Park-board-approves-Wiley-Softball-fences-and-batting-cages-at-Lake-Kirby-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666480-a3f9855409d5406b85a2c7e3f52d5256/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200724&Signature=Lwjzi7u6PssfP20BZ7xdLCvcv-D~8C8Q~HfpPdpSHisPtgUNQ0K6MWB8cYRCCjuRKMqpbHMiDU-1QT~Vx5aV8I8KFv1c41jaIcWVj41Oc6FkFq1a67ZLDayoU6j~eLnEoKMCErfOf7HQUnoi2FiF6MFpZSCbgzk-1ra3OrBWgOSFEShAzfYVDIhrvvja0BLNt8y6YZOg08NvF7e04XvXr12Lb8ipZFXX6YMEoKUBds5rklMTI6Yx1Ki8xnF5ueKPDmAoLwkFqog-e6~oep1QBXJg0OW8CI0hTsrDbH-K1M0a8pCnoSF-PaKVidsTDRYrwBBE0wyrXXVHB60CXn5eRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Abilene Park and Recreation Board on an unspecified date approved two field safety fences and construction of batting cages at Lake Kirby Park, following a public hearing and staff presentation.

City staff said Wiley Softball requested a new fence at a T-ball location and an additional fence at a second location. Leslie (park staff) told the board the fence installation would be fully funded by Wiley Softball. The board also approved construction of batting cages between Fields 2 and 3 to accommodate four batters at a time; staff said the cages are replacing a previously proposed project to add air conditioning to the concessions building that proved infeasible because of the building's electrical load.

The batting-cage work will proceed under an 80/20 cost-share arrangement, with the city covering 80% of the cost and the Wiley Softball league providing the remaining 20% of the project funds. Staff noted the league has the 20% match available.

Marissa Black, president of Wiley Fastpitch, described the league's goals in public comment: \"we're really, really invested in trying to make the complex safer and better for the girls, for the community,\" and thanked staff for assistance during the transition to new league leadership.

Board members moved and seconded approval of both the fence and batting-cage proposals. The motion carried after a vote called at the meeting.

The approved work will include installation of a roughly 4-foot safety fence at one of the T-ball fields and construction of a four-person batting-cage unit sited along the tree line between Fields 2 and 3. Clint (engineer) and league representatives were present during the public hearing to answer technical questions.

City staff will follow normal permitting and procurement processes for the city-funded portion of the batting-cage project; the fence work funded entirely by the league will be installed as coordinated with parks staff.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the motion to authorize both the fence installation(s) and the batting cages and instructed staff to proceed. The meeting record did not include a roll-call tally or individual member votes.","The Abilene Park and Recreation Board approved two safety fences and a four-person batting-cage installation at Lake Kirby Park, with a mix of league and city funding; the batting cages replace a previously proposed concession-stand air-conditioning upgrade.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Park board backs Lake Fort Phantom boat-ramp improvements, estimates about $2.5 million for northwest ramp

Park board rejects proposed native-camping policy for Seedy and Johnson parks

Park board approves Wiley Softball fences and batting cages at Lake Kirby Park