Hidden just north of Bosque Boulevard, you'll find Lions Park.
"Everybody loved Lions Park ... I don't know everybody had birthday parties there growing up, it was affordable for everybody and they had a lot of fun rides for the kids, the slides were like a really fun thing," said Waco native Brian Brooks.
The Lions Park was founded in 1952 as a ball field, it then evolved to have rides, a pool, and putt-putt.
Now, it’s gearing up to welcome a new chapter in renovations.
"There's a lot of memories there for a lot of folks in Waco for a lot of years, that was the thing to go do was to go to Lions Park. What is it that we need to do to prepare for the next generation to take advantage of in our city? What's going to help advance economic development? What's going to make our residents feel safe and have a good quality of life in our inner core?" asks Ryan Holt, the assistant city manager for the City of Waco.
The city plans to invest $2 million dollars to completely redesign the park.
There will be a committee of city officials and Lions club members to brainstorm what the future will look like.
"Nothing is off the table, we're looking to hire a premier design firm that will help us really make it a destination park, but still be respectful of the fact that we want our residents to be able to have a destination that's low or no cost to them, and something that can still be sustainable for years to come," said Holt.
They also want input from generations of people who once enjoyed the park themselves, and what they would like to see for the newer generations.
"I think they should definitely rip it up and start something fresh, I don't know exactly what they could put there, maybe another small theme park," says Brooks.
Lions Park has been closed for months because of the pandemic.
City officials say in recent years the park struggled financially, with other local attractions becoming more popular.
They plan to have crews start new construction by the end of the year.
"I hope it's something fun, I miss that place even though I can't fit on anything now. That'd be so much fun," said Brooks.
If you'd like to sign up for updates or to participate in providing input visit the city's website.
