As the warmer months find their way to West Texas, community members are beginning to enjoy time outside utilizing the Levelland parks system.
Spanning roughly 200 acres of park land, 13 park areas and 12 playgrounds, the Levelland Parks and Cemetery Department have the large task of upkeep and various projects to keep the park areas looking pristine. In addition to providing the community with recreational activities, the department also focuses on keeping the two city cemeteries well-maintained.
Director of Parks and Cemetery Dustin Reichelt is in his sixth year with the City of Levelland and has 17 years of experience in working with and maintaining parks. Before making his way to the city of mosaics, Reichelt spent 11 years in the City of Weatherford maintaining and expanding their parks.
Including Reichelt, the department consists of seven employees. The groups responsibilities range from landscaping, up-keep, repairs, additions and general improvements to the area. Reichelt and his team work through the seasons to provide the community of Levelland a safe and inviting environment to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends.
During the colder months, Reichelt and his crews have spent their time on projects and general upkeep. For the winter season, the department put together multiple outings for the Snow Hill at Lobo Park. Kicking off the spring season, the community was invited to a Parks Easter Egg Hunt on March 23. The hunt has continued to be held at the City Park under Pavilion One, with the hunt open to anyone 12-yearsold or under.
“It is a great event for the kids and the community,” said Reichelt. “We provided the eggs and candy.” Following their second year of hosting the event, Reichelt and his group are continuing to see an impressive turnout of children and families enjoying the event.
The latest addition to the parks system is the Lobo Lake Trail Grant Project. In early February, the Levelland City Council approved the overall project which spanned two action items.
The overall project consists of a newly poured concrete pathway that connects the entire walkway in the shape of a horseshoe. Additionally, new benches, concrete bench pads and trash cans will be placed along the walkway. With this project being the latest, completion of the trail has been the focus throughout April.
One of the bigger projects completed this year was the installation of a kayak launch and fishing dock that is ADA compliant at Brashear Lake, similar to Lobo Lake. The project was completed in mid-February.
With the first dock being placed at Lobo Lake. Reichelt explained there had been a lot of use from the community use which prompted the department to establish a similar dock at Brashear Lake.
Community members who are interested in kayaking are encouraged to utilize the dock’s launch area. Reichelt says there have has been more kayaking activity than anticipated when the Lobo Lake dock was first constructed.
Restocking of the lakes has been on the list for the department as Lobo Lake was recently restocked.
Additionally, $45,000 is being used to assist in the building of the Farmer’s Market Park in downtown Levelland which is being led by Levelland Main Street. Once the park is completed, the park will fall under the care of the parks system for the city.
In regard to the Oxy Sports Complex, a lean-to was built for the maintenance shop to offer coverage for equipment and allow for more room in the area. Also, all of the red bulbs in each score board at the complex were replaced with white LED’s which would offer longer life and be better lit for when in use.
Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Reichelt and his department continued to feel the effects of supply shortages when it came to completing projects. One of those projects that has finally been completed after a lengthy delay is the soccer lights that have been put into the soccer fields at the complex prior to the fall season.
Through March and April, the crew conducted preventative maintenance at the baseball and softball fields located at the Oxy Sports Complex. The complex holds multiple fields and continues to draw multiple tournaments for baseball and softball throughout the spring and summer. There are roughly 13 to 16 tournaments scheduled throughout the spring and summer.
Currently, the Levelland Youth Baseball and Softball leagues are sharing time throughout the week as they hold their regular seasons at the complex annually.
While big projects come with anticipation from the community, Reichelt and his team have also been focusing on the smaller details to keep the parks looking nice and clean such as new signage across various parks.
Operating through the spring and summer months, the department will focus on maintenance. That includes landscaping and mowing. With a diverse parks system, maintenance becomes key according to Reichelt.
“The complex is not new anymore, the facility is about 10 years old now,” said Reichelt. “To make it stay relevant and efficient, preventative maintenance is becoming more important.”
Feeling that the City of Levelland has one of the best parks system in the area, Reichelt knows there is more that needs to be done.
“These things take time, planning and funding to bring new things to the parks,” said Reichelt. “A lot of things people would like to see are million dollar projects. Grants and fundraising are key things.”
One thing Reichelt is looking to do is creating an updated parks master plan that can be followed for the future as the current plan is over a decade old.
“We have completed a majority of what the plan in place currently calls for. Minus some big items such as a new pool and things like that,” explained Reichelt. “Once we get that new plan in place we can set better goals.”
Currently, Reichelt has three full-time employees overseeing the cemeteries for the city.
Their main jobs focuses on maintaining the grounds and making sure the rules are being followed on the grounds.
“Those three take their jobs seriously and have a considerable amount of pride in taking care of the cemeteries,” said Reichelt. “They help grieving families bury their loved one while showing the utmost respect for everyone involved.”
Under the scope of Reichelt’s care, the two cemeteries in Levelland include the Memorial Garden cemetery located on Highway 114 and the City of Levelland cemetery located on Avenue H.
“Unfortunately, those guys have been pretty busy as of late with services,” said Reichelt. “Not only do they take care of the grounds, but they also focus on services.”
Currently, irrigation has been the focus on the cemeteries along with monitoring space.