Photo Credit: PARD Planning & Development
First impressions are lasting impressions in Grand Prairie, Texas, a growing city located between Ft. Worth and Dallas. Many visitors come to the city to experience venues such as the Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department’s Farmers Market Pavilion, Tangle Ridge Golf Course, the Summit Active Adult Center, the historic and remodeled Uptown Theatre, Ruthe Jackson Conference Center, Joe Pool Lake Park, and Lake Park pavilions. However, parks staff, including those who maintain park land and facilities, agreed that more could be done to make the gateways (entry areas) more visually attractive to visitors. The addition and implementation of the First Impressions Crew has helped create grand mental images of the city.
Implementing A First Impressions Crew
The crew was put together in five stages:
1. Evaluation
2. Expectations
3. Education
4. Excitement
5. Execution
Evaluation of staff members, sites, and budget sources. The staff members selected for the First Impressions Crew have worked in multiple areas such as athletics, parks, medians, right-of-ways, and municipal grounds. In evaluating site locations, nine were identified as major gateways to the city. Budget sources to cover the costs of the new crew and implement their ideas included capital-improvement projects, reoccurring fees, grants, one-time costs, and third-party sources.