FY 2018 Popular Annual Financial Report FY 2018 Popular Annual Financial Report | Page 15

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City Celebrates Revitalization Project in East Arlington Other Neighborhood News

City and community leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of the Housing
Channel’s new townhome construction project, Bel Air on Abram, in East Arlington.
The City’s nonprofit housing
partner received $5 million
from the highly competitive
New Markets Tax Credit
Program to build the mixed-use
development, which will feature
47 townhomes, a community
green space, dog park and
future commercial frontage
along Abram Street. • Arlington awarded more than
$90,000 in Neighborhood
Matching Grant funds to support
nine neighborhood projects.
Design Announced for East Arlington Recreation Center and Library • Arlington landed the No. 1 spot
on SmartAsset.com’s Top 10 “Best
Cities to Raise a Family” in the
nation list.

The City announced the
design for the future East
Arlington Recreation Center
and East Arlington Branch
Library in January 2018. The
bond-funded project is the
first of its kind in Arlington and
will replace the existing Hugh
Smith Recreation Center,
which was opened in 1963 as
a YMCA, and the East Branch Library, the City’s busiest and oldest library. Funding
for this $26 million project, which will be built at Bob Cooke Park, was approved by
Arlington voters in 2014.
Financial
• The 3 rd annual Homeownership
Fair drew nearly 500 people
interested in learning more about
how to make their homes in The
American Dream City.
• The City completed the $1.4-
million first phase of the North
Fork Cottonwood Creek Channel
repair project in east Arlington.
• Arlington gave away
approximately 1,500 seedlings
as part of the L.E.A.F. Program to
grow the city’s tree canopy.
World’s Only MLB-Branded Golf Course Announced

The City of Arlington and Texas
Rangers announced a new partnership
in January 2018 to create the world’s
only Major League Baseball-branded
golf course — the Texas
Rangers Golf Club.

Major renovations
and the unique rebranding
agreement for the former
Chester W. Ditto Golf Course are
expected to bring an overall positive
impact to the city, such as drawing
high-profile golf tournaments, event
rentals, attracting new business and
quality housing developments, and
encouraging visitors to extend their stay
at Arlington’s hotels through tourism
promotional packages. The
City’s $24 million major golf
course renovation, set to be
complete in 2019, includes
a new clubhouse with full-
service restaurant and bar, covered
patio, pro shop, locker rooms, and
numerous rental and event spaces.
Richard Simpson Park
Improvements Begin

In fall 2017, the City began work
on the first phase of improvements
to Richard Simpson Park at Lake
Arlington. The $3.5-million project
includes replacing the lake house,
resurfacing the parking lot, adding
lighting, landscaping and a trail among
other improvements. The new Lake
House will include a community room,
conference room, covered patio, office
and park restrooms.
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