Miller Springs Nature Center is set to reopen Thursday, the City of Belton announced Tuesday.
The park, which has been a destination in Bell County since October 1993 closed in August 2017.
Miller Springs Alliance surrendered a lease it held for 24 years back to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers citing declining membership and funding. USACE decided to shut down 260 acres of federal publicly accessible recreation lands on the Leon River below Lake Belton.
The city said the voice of the community helped propel the idea of reopening the park forward.
“The reopening of Miller Springs can be attributed to the goodwill of three separate forms of government, the united voice of the people, and the servant hearts of an army of volunteers,” Belton Mayor Marion Grayson said.
More than 160 volunteers provided an estimated 400 volunteer hours in order to make the reopening possible, the city said.
Matt Bates, Belton Parks and Recreations Director said this is a great day for the Belton-
Temple community.
“Thank you to the 165 volunteers and the handful of full-time, dedicated parks employees who helped get the land ready to use again,” Bates said.
The city also acknowledged State Representative Hugh Shine as an important facilitator earlier in the process.
