Comprising Shannon park, City park No. 1 and the barren stretch of Yellowhouse to the north, Mackenzie State Park will have a total area of 551 acres which hold promise of becoming one of the most attractive parks in the state system.
Several months ago the proposed park was one of the ideas enthusiastically pushed by D.E. Colp, chairman of the state parks board. Three weeks ago, land negotiations were completed by officials of Lubbock and Lubbock County. Since that time, the CCC camp in Lubbock has begun improvements on the park site under plans and supervision of the state parks board.
Features of the present developed city park and county park will be added to other plans which have been tentatively completed, said T.B. Thompson, supervisor of project planning and directing operations of improvements.
Attractions already in the area are the swimming pool, Meadowbrook golf course, a wading pool, the lagoon in Shannon park, and playground equipment and picnic grounds.
In addition to improving those locations, Mr. Thompson announced proposed plans for building an amphitheater on a site northeast of the swimming pool, opening of springs to produce a flow of water down canyon stream beds, building a "natural" cascade of waterfalls on the western slope of the canyon near the lagoon, constructing a "circle drive" road around the edge of the canyon, and planting of 10,000 trees, and shrubs, plants and grass for park beautification.
"The amphitheater can be built to accommodate several thousand people," Mr. Thompson said, "providing an open air auditorium for assemblies of Lubbock and Plains people."
Two entrances to the park, one from Highway 24 and the other from Highway 9, will connect with the circle drive which will have branch roads to the golf course, the amphitheater, the swimming pool, and playground sites.
"The present system of roads in the park will be abandoned. New roads will be of caliche base and rock topping," Mr. Thompson stated.
More roads are being placed in Mackenzie State Park than in others being established in the state because the location will make it an attraction for throngs of Lubbock people, the parks official said. Work on the building of circle drive is already started by the CCC. Also under way are projects to start the flow of silt-clogged springs, to cut weeds, and to erect rock buildings for use in housing machinery and equipment for maintaining the park.
