Friday, August 14, 2009

New Spray Park Open

Don't hang up those swim suits for the summer just yet. The newest addition to summer fun in Frisco is now open! A new spray ground has opened at Bi Centennial Park, next to the popular Frisco Commons Park.

It is recommended that those visiting the new spray ground use the parking lot available at Frisco Commons Park (8000 McKinney Road).

Phase I of this spray ground includes multiple aquatic elements for children to enjoy while cooling off from the summer heat, landscaping and
benches for seating. Phase II additions which will take place in 2010 include: pavilions/shelters, restrooms and additional parking.

Bi Centennial becomes the third park in Frisco to have a spray ground feature located within the park. Other parks featuring spray grounds include JR Newman Park, located at 8211 Twin Falls Drive and Shepherds
Glen, located at 12012 Shepherds Hill Drive.

The spray parks are all free to the public and are open every day from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. For more information about our spray grounds, visit our website at FriscoFun.org or call 972-292-6500.

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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Frisco is a Treasure Hunt for Fun

FRISCO IS A TREASURE HUNT FOR FUN: NOW THROUGH AUGUST 23

(August 12, 2009) Hunt for fun and discover 'Frisco IS a Treasure!' Pick up a treasure map at any one of 10 locations to begin your 'hunt for fun'
and become eligible for a grand prize drawing to win a treasure chest
filled with prizes! The 'hunt' continues now through Sunday, August 23
at noon. No purchase is required to play! To qualify to win, get your map stamped at six of the following 10 locations. Find addresses online at www.friscoisatreasure.com

Dr Pepper Ballpark, home of the Frisco RoughRiders Dr Pepper Arena Texas Tornado headquarters, located inside the Dr Pepper StarCenter Frisco Athletic Center Frisco Fire Safety Town Frisco Heritage Museum Frisco Public Library Pizza Hut Park, home of FC Dallas Fieldhouse USA Main Event

Once you collect six stamps, drop your completed map (entry form) into any 'X Marks the Spot' box. Boxes are also located at each of the 10 map locations. Everyone who completes an entry form will receive a coupon for a $10 game card at Main Event-Frisco. The grand prize 'Frisco Family Fun Treasure Chest' is valued at more than $1500 and is filled with prizes, coupons and tickets including:
Four (4) StarsClub luxury pre-season tickets Four (4) RoughRiders baseball tickets Four (4) FC Dallas soccer match tickets Four (4) Premium Texas Tornado hockey tickets Four (4) AMC Movie tickets $250 Gift Card from Main Event $50 Gift Card from Fieldhouse USA Four (4) Schlitterbahn tickets with overnight stay 'Limo' tour of Frisco escorted by the 'Jonas Fan Van'

AM 620 Radio Disney will be at the Frisco Athletic Center (FAC) this Sunday, August 16 from 2 - 4 p.m. The FAC is located at 5828 Nancy Jane Lane, just east of the intersection of Preston and Wade Blvd.

Then, join AM 620 Radio Disney and the City of Frisco team on Sunday, August 23 at the Frisco Public Library, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd., from 2 -
4 p.m. Play games and win prizes and stick around for the grand prize drawing and find out who wins the 'Frisco Family Fun Treasure Chest' It could be YOU! But you have to explore all the fun destinations in Frisco.

"We thought this would be a great way to showcase Frisco's quality of life and all the fun, family oriented venues our community offers," said Mayor Maher Maso. "Eight of the venues on the 'map' were made possible either through our innovative public-private partnerships or through the support of our voters, who approved bonds to build 'state of the art' facilities.
This 'hunt' is a way for our residents - newcomers or not - to experience our venues for the first time or rediscover all the incredibly fun, entertainment opportunities we have right here at home. It's also a fun way to introduce Frisco to our neighbors and visitors."

Check out www.friscoisatreasure.com for more information on 'Frisco IS a
Treasure: Hunt for Fun" You'll also find addresses and links to all the venues located on the treasure map at this website. Click on 'Stay and Play' and find out which Frisco hotels are offering a special 'treasure'
discount rate, too. You can also find the 'hunt' on Twitter! Check out http://twitter.com/friscotreasure

Frisco Reach Out this Saturday

PRESS RELEASE
FRISCO REACH OUT
Saturday, August 15, 2009

On Saturday, August 15, 2009, three non-profit organizations will come together for the very first time to conduct a historic reach out in the heart of downtown Frisco, Texas. These organizations, Frisco Cares Children’s Clinic, The Word Center, and KingdomLife International—all based in the city of Frisco—have pooled their resources together to lend a helping hand to the residents who live in the area of downtown Frisco. Among the services that will be provided at the reach out are school supplies for grades one through six, acute medical care to uninsured children and adults (those without insurance, Medicaid or Chips), and immunizations for school age children (children need to bring their immunization records with them). A pancake breakfast will also be served. The Reach Out will take place at the Word Center located at the corner of 6th and Oak Street, and will go from 8:30AM – 12:30PM. For more information about the event, please visit the web at www.friscoreachout.com, or call 972-712-5574.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Eldorado Pkwy at independence lanes open Aug. 10

The new eastbound lanes on Eldorado Parkway between Fragrant Drive and Masters Lane will open to traffic on Monday, August 10, weather permitting. Eastbound and westbound traffic will begin flowing on opposite sides of the median, but will still be restricted to one lane in each direction. These barricades will remain in place for a couple weeks to facilitate work in the median. At intersections and driveways, motorists should pay special attention when turning onto eastbound Eldorado Parkway to be sure that they are on the correct side of the median.

Motorists are urged to use caution in the area as people get used to the new traffic patterns.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Traffic Switch - Teel/Eldorado

As part of TxDOT's widening project, the traffic pattern was changed at two intersections along Eldorado Parkway today, at Legacy Drive and at Teel Parkway.


Traffic on Legacy Drive was switched so that two-way traffic will operate on the west half of the roadway for several weeks. Northbound traffic on Legacy Drive is now rerouted to the other side of the roadway at the median opening for Veneto Drive and is rerouted back to its regular side of the roadway at the median opening for Crane Avenue.


Traffic on Teel Parkway was switched so that two-way traffic will operate on the east half of the roadway for several weeks. Northbound traffic on Teel Parkway, which has been used to switching sides of the roadway south of Eldorado Parkway, now stays on its side of the roadway. Southbound traffic on Teel Parkway is now rerouted to the other side of the roadway as it crosses Eldorado Parkway, and is rerouted back to its regular side of the roadway at the median opening for the Eldorado Montessori School.


Motorists are urged to use caution in these areas as people become accustomed to the new traffic patterns.


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Friday, July 24, 2009

PARKS & RECREATION -preston north neighborhood park

The Frisco Parks & Recreation Department is holding a public meeting to discuss the master plan for Preston North Neighborhood Park, located

within Preston North Estates.



The meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 3 at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at Spears Elementary School located at

8500 Wade Boulevard. All interested parties are encouraged to attend.



In February, a public meeting was held to get feedback from the community on desired renovations to the park. This meeting will discuss the newly

proposed master plan that was developed based on the community feedback

that was received and the project budget.



For more information about the meeting, please call John Doshier at

972-292-6514 or Jdoshier@FriscoTexas.gov.



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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Dive-In Movie

Put a new twist on family movie night and join us at the Frisco Athletic Center Outdoor Aquatic Center this Friday, July 24 for a Dive-In Movie.



Limited tickets are still available for this event and may be purchased in advance at the Frisco Athletic Center or at the door the night of the

event (while tickets last). Admission is $2 per person for members and non-members. Children under two are free.



Relax with the entire family while floating around in the lagoon pool or poolside in a lawn chair in front of the big screen while watching the entertaining zoo crew in Madagascar II - Escape to Africa. This fun,

family event will be held from 8 - 10 p.m. Doors will open at 8 p.m. with the movie beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m. Refreshments will be available for purchase.



For more information, call Kari FitzPatrick at 972-292-6628. For inclement weather information, please call 972-292-6520.

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City of Frisco as its Permanent Home

After ten years in development, Sci-Tech Discovery Center, a 501(c) 3 organization, today announced that it will open doors this fall in Frisco, Texas. With a mission to inspire a new generation of innovators, engineers, scientists and educators, Sci-Tech is pleased to have a home in which it can provide its signature Mind-Stretching Fun® to the families in and around the Collin County area.

Sci-Tech Discovery Center officials recently signed a lease provided by the City Of Frisco Community Development Corporation to occupy approximately 11,000 square feet of space in the city owned building located at 8000 North Dallas Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034, just south of Frisco Square and the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, which houses Frisco City Hall and the Frisco Public Library.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with the City of Frisco. This location is easily accessible to the growing number of families in the North Texas Region,” explains Byron Williams, Chairman of the Sci-Tech Discovery Center Board. “We seek to spark an interest and help equip our area’s future workforce with essential skills in science, math and technology. This mission is fueled by recent statistics showing how in the U.S. our children’s deficiencies in these essential areas have been described as a national crisis.”

“This is a defining day, not only for Frisco but for our region,” said Frisco Mayor Maher Maso. “Sci-Tech Discovery Center will give children a ‘hands on’, interactive experience promoting science, discovery and fun! Every day, we’re impacted by someone’s curiosity, that ultimately leads to invention. We’re excited about helping develop a new generation of explorers. The City of Frisco’s partnership with Sci-Tech Discovery is another example of our community’s creative, ‘can do’ spirit – an essential for any innovator.”

“The partnership with Sci-Tech Discovery Center is a great opportunity for all of us, and an exciting addition to the development of a new cultural district in Collin County. With our existing Heritage Museum, the move planned in the near future for Museum of the American Railroad, and the addition of Sci-Tech, all within walking distance of each other, it will benefit both our residents as well as provide new reasons for visitors to come to Frisco,” says Marla Roe, Executive Director of the Frisco Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Sci-Tech Discovery Center began as the brainchild of the Junior League of Plano in 1999 to meet the community’s demand for an innovative discovery center. Today, it is a local non-profit that has been bringing various discovery programs to community centers, libraries, schools and scout groups across Collin County. The organization hosted two successful preview exhibits in the summers of 2004 and 2005 at the Shops at Willowbend that gave more than 30,000 visitors a peek at these experimental learning opportunities.

Sci-Tech Discovery Center is scheduled to open to the general public on Saturday, October 3 with the blockbuster travelling exhibit Grossology: The Impolite Science of the Human Body. Although renovations will still be underway, the exhibit will run from October 3- January 3. Sci-Tech Discovery Center, Inc. was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization in 2004 in response to community demand for a cultural and educational destination in Collin County. The Center has a clear mission to provide a dynamic, interactive experience that inspires people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace discovery and innovation through the exploration of math, science and technology.

To learn more about Sci-Tech Discovery Center or to contribute, visit

Sci-Tech Discovery Center Announcement

Today was an exciting day for Frisco and the entire North Texas area. State Senator Florence Shapiro, McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller and Plano Council Member Lissa Smith joined me and other leaders in announcing that the Sci-Tech Discovery Center has a new zip code -- in Frisco. They will be opening their doors in October at 3000 N. Dallas Parkway in the hear of Frisco's family-oriented downtown.

Board President Byron Williams along with Executive Director Erica Yaeger accepted a donation in the amount of $25,000 from Baylor Frisco to sponsor the first exhibit: "Grossology".

Visit their new website at http://www.mindstretchingfun.org for additional details. This is a project that has been a goal of mine for many years with the help of many others, we are finally starting to focus on math and science in our community. With the support of the local school districts, I look forward to some very exciting curriculum's being developed!

This is truly a regional benefit for North Texas that makes a real impact to our children.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

No City Council Meeting Tonight (Tuesday, July 21)

No City Council Meeting Tonight

The Frisco City Council is not meeting tonight, July 21. Instead the council is holding a special called meeting on Monday, July 27. The place and time are the same as regularly scheduled city council meetings: the City Council Chambers inside the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd. at 6:30 p.m

Friday, July 17, 2009

380 at DNT closed due to injury accident

From the City of Frisco E-mail Server (join at http://www.friscotexas.gov)

SECTION OF HWY 380 AT DALLAS PARKWAY CLOSED TO TRAFFIC AS EMERGENCY CREWS RESPOND TO INJURY ACCIDENT

(July 17, 2009 – 9:30 a.m.) Frisco police and fire crews are working the scene of a multi-vehicle, injury accident on Highway 380. Eastbound and westbound lanes of Highway 380 at the Dallas Parkway are shutdown until further notice. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and to use Preston Road or FM 423 as an alternate route.

Emergency crews are still working the scene, and information about the injured and the details of the accident are not available at this time.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Frisco Freedom Fest

24 Hours and Counting Until the Frisco Freedom Fest Fun Begins!

(July 3, 2009) Don't have your Fourth of July plans set yet? Join us tomorrow for the 8th Annual Frisco Freedom Fest beginning at 4 p.m. at Simpson Plaza in front of the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center. The festival is located at the southeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and Main Street in the heart of Frisco. Find out everything you need to know at http://www.friscofreedomfest.org.



Admission to the Party in the Plaza is free and offers a variety of entertainment. Way before the fireworks start, the kids will have a blast in the Children's Expo featuring bounce houses, Euro bungee jumps, a 25-foot rock climbing wall, mini-train ride and old fashioned Midway games, and much more. Activities range in price from $1 to $6, or buy a $25 jump pass and play all day.

A bike valet is one of the new features offered at this year's Freedom Fest. If you don't want to drive, ride in on two wheels instead of four.

Frisco Community Bike Valet will be offering a secure spot for cyclists to store their bikes during the event. The bike valet is located on the south side of City Hall. Other new features include the Red Cross's Spirit of America Blood Drive and the Oncor Smart Texas Mobile Experience Center.



The 1,000-foot trailer showcases the new advanced meter technology and how it can help you save on electricity costs. You can also pick up a free CFL light bulb.

A couple of other new additions. the characters from the Wiggly Play Center will join us in between performances on the Community Stage. You can also catch Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog and Henry the Octopus at the Wiggly Play Center tent. You won't want to miss the Bubble Lady. She makes square bubbles, human-sized bubbles, and kids can even try out her bubble-making station to create their own.

Show your support for America's brave men and women serving overseas.

Look for the Frisco Television Network tent (FTVN) to record a video message to the troops. Kids can also write a letter to the troops in our Frisco Fun Zone.

Get your fill of good food from the Taste of Frisco. 19 restaurants will sell Fourth of July favorites like hamburgers, hot dogs and ice cream in addition to Tex-Mex, Italian and Asian dishes. Prices vary.


No Independence Day is complete without live music.

Enjoy the sounds of hometown performers on the Community Stage featuring everything from country to rap, classic rock to rockabilly. The Paul Green School of Rock - coming soon to Downtown Frisco - will headline the Community Stage with their All-Star band. The All-Stars take the stage at approximately 9:30 p.m. and will continue playing through fireworks.


We top off the night with the biggest fireworks show in North Texas beginning approximately 9:50 to 10:00 p.m. Don't miss Frisco's boom-boom pow, when the sky over Pizza Hut Park erupts in a dazzling display of color. The Fireworks Extravaganza can be seen easily in the area around City Hall and Pizza Hut Park.

Pizza Hut Park still has tickets available for the FC Dallas MLS game against the New York Red Bulls at 8 p.m. For ticket pricing, call 1-888-FCD-GOAL. In addition to the soccer game, ticket holders can watch the Fireworks Extravaganza and the post-fireworks concert featuring Lone Star Attitude.


Want to know more about the event? Go online to FriscoFreedomFest.org to find parking information, and read more about our sponsors and vendors.

Frisco Holiday Hours

Frisco Holiday Hours

In observance of Independence Day, the City of Frisco government
offices will be closed on Friday, July 3. Regular hours resume
Monday, July 6. Please see the list below for closings or special
hours for other city facilities.


On Saturday, July 4, Simpson Plaza, in front of the George A.
Purefoy Municipal Center, will be open for Frisco Freedom Fest activities. The ‘Party in the Plaza’ begins at 4 p.m. and continues until the biggest fireworks display in North
Texas ends. Go online to www.friscofreedomfest.org for event details and tickets to the
MLS FC Dallas game and concert, featuring Lone Star Attitude, at Pizza Hut Park.



CITY HALL & OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
July 3 - CLOSED

FRISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY

July 3, 4 & 5 - CLOSED

FRISCO HERITAGE MUSEUM

July 3 - CLOSED
July 4 & 5 - OPEN (Sat.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sun.: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.)

MUNICIPAL COURT
July 3 - CLOSED

The Court will reopen Monday, July 6 at 8:30 a.m. Any payments or
paperwork due on July 3 will be due and accepted as on time July 6.

FRISCO ATHLETIC CENTER
July 3 - OPEN: building hours: 5 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Indoor Aquatic Center: 5 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Outdoor Aquatic Center: Noon - 7 p.m.
Fun Club: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The Zone: 8 a.m. - Noon; 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

July 4 - OPEN: building hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Indoor Aquatic Center: Closed (no water aerobics)
Outdoor Aquatic Center: Noon - 6 p.m.
Fun Club: Closed
The Zone: Closed

(No group exercise classes held July 4)

SENIOR CENTER AT FRISCO SQUARE
July 3 & July 4 - CLOSED

TRASH COLLECTION - CURBSIDE RECYCLING

Since July 4 falls on a Saturday, all residential trash and
recycling services will fall on their normal collection days.

ENVIRONMENTAL COLLECTION CENTER

July 3 & July 4 - CLOSED


Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Mandatory Water Restrictions Begin July 1st

MANDATORY RESTRICTIONS OF FRISCO'S WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN BEGIN JULY 1:CITY WATERWISE PROGRAM OFFERS NEW, WEEKLY WATERING RECOMMENDATIONS TO GUIDE RESIDENTS

(June 30, 2009) The City of Frisco wants to remind residents that mandatory water restrictions for summer months take effect Wednesday, July 1.

The Water Management Plan, which emphasizes watering efficiently and reducing waste, was adopted by the city council in April.

This new plan encompasses a Drought Contingency Plan and a Water Efficiency Plan.
Each year, starting with the first day of Daylight Saving Time through June 30, two-day-per-week outdoor watering is recommended. Restrictions become mandatory during the summer months of July, August and September (July 1 - September 30). The plan prohibits outdoor watering between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Under the new Water Efficiency Plan, outdoor watering is also restricted to two days per week July 1 - September 30 and is based on residents' trash and recycling service schedule and an additional, designated day.

Water on your residential trash pick up day: Your additional watering day
is:
Monday Thursday
Tuesday Saturday
Wednesday Saturday
Thursday Sunday
Friday Tuesday

The complete details of the City of Frisco Water Management Plan are available online at www.friscotexas.gov/water.
The City of Frisco's Waterwise program is also helping citizens take the guesswork out of watering the lawn. A new edition to the Water Efficiency homepage: www.friscotexas.gov/water, is a table listing the weekly watering recommendations tailored for Frisco based on data from the city's weather station and four automatic rain gages located throughout the city.

"The greatest waste of water in the city is excessive use of irrigation systems," said Gary Hartwell, City of Frisco Public Works Director. "To be able to communicate the actual watering needs for the city's landscapes is very important to reducing water waste."

The watering recommendations are given in quarter-inch increments. To help residents even further, there is a link to explain how to set your automatic irrigation system to deliver the recommended amount of water.
First time violators of the Water Management Plan will receive a red door-hanger alerting them to expect a $25 fee on their next water bill. However, that $25 fee will be waived or credited on a water bill if the resident contacts the city's licensed irrigator for a free, irrigation 'check up' within 30 days. Additional violations may result in additional fees and disconnection of the resident's sprinkler system.

The City of Frisco's revised plan is based on the model water conservation and drought contingency plans adopted by the Board of Directors of the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) and all the requirements of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Frisco is a member city of NTMWD. State law required all cities to adopt and/or update their water conservation and drought contingency plans by May 1, 2009.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Coffee with the Mayor next Monday

NEXT "COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR" TO BE HELD AT NTEC, INC. JUNE 8

(June 3, 2009) Learn more about Frisco's emerging med-tech industry while you enjoy a cup of 'Coffee with the Mayor". On June 8 at 8 a.m., Mayor Maher Maso's "Coffee with the Mayor" moves to the North Texas Enterprise Center for Medical Technology (NTEC), located at 6170 Research Rd.

NTEC is a non-profit, medical technology incubator program financed through the Frisco Economic Development Corporation (FEDC) and other private partners. NTEC's 50,000 square foot headquarters opened in November 2008 at the northeast corner of Research Road and Frisco Street.
The EDC, in conjunction with the City of Frisco, issued $10.8 million bond in 2007 to build the facility. The two-story, state-of-the-art facility, includes 80 offices, 30 cubes, 10,000 square feet of highly flexible bio-labs, device labs and prototyping labs. The building can house as many as 25 entrepreneurial medical device and medical technology businesses.

It's been a year since Mayor Maso launched "Coffee with the Mayor" as one of his communication initiatives. The program centers around coffee and casual conversation and is held the second Monday of each month from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. "Coffee with the Mayor" is usually held on the fifth floor of City Hall, inside the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd.

"Coffee with the Mayor" will not be held in July. "Coffee with the Mayor"
resumes on August 10 at City Hall. For more information, go to http://www.friscotexas.gov, click on 'Communication' and then find 'Coffee with the Mayor".

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Like to Garden?

To commemorate National Garden Week, this Friday (June 5th), the City and the Frisco Garden Club are joining together around 8 AM to begin the replanting of the Main Street planters. Since this effort takes a lot of volunteer labor we’d love to have as many of the Downtown Merchants, Residents and Frisco Community Members join us to help if possible. We will meet out at the Gazebo around 8 AM and split up in teams and go from there. At 10:00 we will regroup at the Gazebo on Main Street in Old Town for lemonade and cookies and for a reading of a proclamation for the Garden Week celebration. Please join us on Friday if you can!

Sprinklers

Now is the time to make sure your sprinklers are off. Yes, we have plenty of water in our lakes, but over-use is still very important. The City builds infrastructure to handle peak loads. in other words, that water tank, the water lines, the pumps and everything that goes along with it is designed to handle peak loads. Of course, this costs money. Your money and my money. Using the water you only need goes a long ways in saving all of us money. Directly, through your water bill and indirectly through the infrastructure we have to build.
Also, the state mandates water conservation. Frisco has one of the highest water usage, measured in gallons used per person per day. A majority of that is irrigation. We had storms last night and it is raining right now. Every sprinkler system in Frisco should be turned off for at least the next few days.
Check this link out: http://www.friscotexas.gov/departments/publicworks/water/Pages/default.aspx and you will find lots of info on the subject.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Museum of the American Railroad Press Release

Museum of the American Railroad
Frisco, Texas
Museum of the American Railroad and City of Frisco Finalize Move

MAY 5, 2009 – Today Museum of the American Railroad officials signed, and the Frisco City
Council approved, a formal agreement that finalizes plans to move the Fair Park collection of trains to a new site in Frisco. The City Council passed by unanimous vote the Development Agreement and Lease that enables the museum to move from the planning stage to Phase I design and construction.

The Museum of the American Railroad joins an exciting array of attractions in this North Texas city including the Frisco Heritage Center and Museum. It will also be adjacent to a system of planned outdoor spaces and recreational areas to be known as Grand Park. Last year, the Museum of the American Railroad entered into an agreement with the City of Frisco that initiated serious discussions between the two organizations. The two quickly arrived at terms that were mutually beneficial and an engineering firm was hired to prepare a conceptual engineering site plan.

The plan, prepared by Lunsford Associates of Arlington with Wilson & Company of Fort
Worth, calls for nearly a mile of trackage and future exhibit buildings totaling 94,000 square feet. The museum’s priceless collection will also be covered by a train shed reminiscent of turn-of-the-century stations.

With the Council’s adoption of the formal agreements, the railroad museum will now finalize its site plan and prepare engineering specifications for Phase I construction. Phase I calls for some 5,000 feet of track to be laid at the museum’s new Frisco location, including 3,000 feet of exhibit track that will accommodate the current 36-piece rolling stock collection. The museum’s two landmark structures will also move to Frisco and compliment the historic locomotives and railway passenger cars.

The City of Frisco will provide 12.34 acres of land for the project. Located on Cotton Gin Road, the new site is adjacent to the Frisco Heritage Center and borders the BNSF Railway line to the east. The museum currently resides on a 1.8 acre footprint in Fair Park and stores one quarter of its collection offsite.

A majority of Phase I funding will come from Frisco to construct the basic facilities necessary to
relocate the museum from Fair Park. The museum will raise their portion of the funding privately. Upon completion of Phase I, the museum will open for business at the new site. “We are very excited to get to this point; it’s been mostly planning until now. We’re getting close to turning some dirt and watching the wheels roll. The area railroads have pledged their support and we should be moving equipment in early 2011,” said Bob LaPrelle, MAR’s President & CEO.

The museum will continue operations at its present Fair Park location until the rolling stock begins moving to Frisco. Educational programs for Dallas area schools will also continue through late 2010. While the collection will be relocating to Frisco, the move is viewed by museum officials as an operation becoming more regional rather than one leaving the Dallas market.
With nearly half a mile of locomotives and cars weighing almost 3,600 tons, the move of the
museum’s historic rolling stock collection will be an event in and of itself. The museum has fielded calls from as far away as New Zealand since the announcement of the move last year. The museum’s Big Boy steam locomotive, the largest ever constructed, will attract interest from all over the world when it begins to roll to its new home.

The museum has worked closely with Frisco city officials to finalize plans and create an attraction
that embraces the city’s rich railroad heritage. Frisco derives its name from the St. Louis-San
Francisco Railway Company which established a water stop there following construction in 1902.
Initially satisfying a thirst for steam locomotives, the area was later subdivided and plots were sold by the railroad. A few years later the town of Frisco was officially incorporated and has grown in population to just over 100,000 today.

While the museum will endeavor to tell the story of railroads on a local level, its collection is national in scope. In 2006 the museum, with the aid of M. Goodwin Associates of Los Angeles, created a Strategic Plan that identified its strengths and addressed limitations at its present site. The Plan acknowledged the significance of the collection as one with great potential that tells the story of the American Railroad on a national level.

The new facilities in Frisco will allow for expanded programming and house the collection in a setting that is befitting of its heritage. Future buildings will present the trains in the context of a large, urban train station while featuring all the amenities of a museum. Visitors will climb aboard trains that once arrived and departed stations at nearly every major city in the nation.
Museum officials have chosen a style of architecture for its new main building that compliments
neighboring structures in Frisco Square. A Neoclassical style is represented in the museum’s
proposed building that borrows elements from the great train stations of the past. To be constructed as part of a Phase II capital project, the facility will feature a grand hall and concourse that will serve as a museum facility by day and a venue for community activities after hours. “We envision this building being a center for local activities and events – a place that is at the heart of a community just as train stations were in their day,” said LaPrelle.

The new museum will also serve as an anchor arts & cultural institution in Frisco. The facility will
provide educational programming for Frisco ISD and surrounding school districts through interactive tours and in-class programs. The museum’s grand hall will also act as a venue for the visual & performing arts. Over the past year the museum has consulted with Freeman Ryan Design, an Australian company, to develop spatial requirements and visitor flow patterns for the new main building and train shed. Specializing in creating museums around large objects, the Sydney-based company has addressed the architectural considerations associated with housing and presenting the museum’s extensive rolling stock collection. Using the latest technologies, the museum will entertain and educate visitors and students with exhibits on the cultural history and technology of railroading. Programs will also explore the role of the railroad as a
solution to the nation’s transportation challenges. Where railroad museums have typically been viewed as looking back, the new Frisco museum will also look forward and showcase what the rail industry has to offer now and in the future.

The City of Frisco has generously provided the railroad museum with offices and 800 square feet of exhibit space in the new Frisco Heritage Museum. Located at 6455 Page Street, visitors can enjoy exhibits on Frisco history, including the arrival of the railroad in 1902. With offices and programming already established in Frisco, the railroad museum is on its way toward building a brand and engaging in fund raising and development.

With today’s vote, the City of Frisco and the Museum of the American Railroad have solidified a
partnership and created much excitement toward establishing the premiere museum of railroad history and technology in the Southwest. The Museum of the American Railroad would like to extend its most sincere gratitude to the City of Frisco and its citizens. Their generous contributions and endorsement of our museum will ensure its future role as a cultural history center and educational resource in North Texas. Consistent with its mission of …sharing the rich history and heritage, as well as the current and future development of the institution of the American Railroad through artistic, cultural, and educational programming & outreach…, the Museum of the American Railroad is about to embark on the greatest journey in its 46-year history.

For more information about the museum and its move to Frisco go to www.dallasrailwaymuseum.com

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Chesney Concert Traffic Patterns

Eastbound Main Street and eastbound Cotton Gin Road -- between Legacy

Drive and Dallas Parkway -- will be closed to traffic at 10 p.m. on

Saturday, May 2, in order to move traffic out of Pizza Hut Park and Frisco

Square following the Kenny Chesney Concert. Both roads should be open

again by around 1 a.m. During this closure, traffic heading east on Main

Street should use Legacy Drive to reach either Eldorado Parkway or Lebanon

Road to continue eastward. During this time, Frisco Square can be reached

by using northbound Dallas Parkway or by turning left from southbound

Dallas Parkway at Main Street.



To minimize congestion after the concert, exit routes from Pizza Hut Park

and Frisco Square will be limited in order to reduce the points where

traffic flows try to cross each other. A map has been posted on the City's

website that shows these exit routes (go to www.friscotexas.gov and click

MOVE ALONG on the right side). Depending on where they park, concert

goers will be directed onto eastbound or westbound Main Street or north to

Eldorado Parkway when they leave Pizza Hut Park and then should follow the

signs to reach the Dallas North Tollway, Preston Road, SH 121 or US 380.

In addition, to ease congestion after the concert on the southbound Dallas

Parkway for those entering the Tollway south of Main Street, a sign has

been installed to remind motorists that they can use the right lane to

continue to the next Tollway entrance ramp at Stonebrook Parkway.



Motorists are urged to use caution in the area.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Parks and Rec. Events

PUBLIC INVITED TO ATTEND TWO PARKS AND RECREATION EVENTS TOMORROW, SATURDAY, APRIL 4; TODAY LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR AQUA EGG HUNT AT FRISCO ATHLETIC CENTER

B.F. Phillips Community Park Dedication

(April 3, 2009) The City of Frisco Parks and Recreation Department is hosting two events tomorrow, Saturday, April, 4. The public is invited to attend the park dedication ceremony for B.F. Phillips Community Park at 10 a.m. Located at 3335 4th Army Memorial Drive, the park is adjacent to the Lonestar Ranch subdivision, northeast of the Teel Parkway and Lebanon Road intersection.

B.F. Phillips Park is a 117-acre park with an overall ranch and horse racing theme. The park includes a five-field baseball and softball complex, soccer fields, a playground system, concession and restroom facilities and a paved parking lot. As part of the city's public art program, the turnaround entrance features an oversized horseshoe and nail.
The steel artwork is entitled "For Want of a Horseshoe Nail".

NEW Aqua Egg Hunt at Frisco Athletic Center April 4

Hundreds of eggs are up for grabs as a brand new event in Frisco. Join us for the Aqua Egg Hunt from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Frisco Athletic Center, 5828 Nancy Jane Lane. To attend, you must register by today, April 3.

Kids, ages three to ten, are invited to swim and hunt for prize-filled eggs! Admission is $10 and includes 'the hunt', a day long swim pass and
a treat from the Easter Bunny himself. Pre-registration is required and
available online at www.friscofun.org - or in person at the Frisco Athletic Center. Children under seven who stay to swim for the day must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 972-292-6600.