The Friday Staff Report to City Council provides weekly updates between staff and Council. This week, Denton announced repairs closing Mack Park basketball courts and the MLK Jr. Recreation Center, reported seven nights of heat shelter use with 173 to 186 beds occupied, highlighted three city-submitted census tracts selected for Opportunity Zone 2.0 nomination, promoted a Sept. 24 manufacturing career day and job fair, and featured adoptable dog Bucky. Staff also said an all-way stop and relocated stop sign are planned within weeks at West Oak Street and North Texas Boulevard, visibility improvements are planned near University Drive and Redwood Place, and South Lakes Park pickleball courts will get etiquette and queuing signs while lighting and striping options are reviewed.
General Information
Mack Park court repairs – Beginning Sept. 11, the basketball courts at Mack Park are closed for repairs after ongoing settling issues worsened in recent dry, extreme heat conditions, creating uneven surfaces near one side of the courts and the hoop bases. The courts will remain closed while repairs are assessed and completed.
Opportunity Zone nomination – Three Denton census tracts, 208, 211, and 212.03, were selected by Gov. Greg Abbott for nomination to the federal Opportunity Zone 2.0 program after being submitted by city staff in June. The program offers capital gains tax deferral for qualifying investments in designated areas. More information is available at https://gov.texas.gov/business/page/opportunity-zones and https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/business/OZ_Map_2026.pdf.
Manufacturing career day – The City of Denton and partner organizations will host a Manufacturing Career Day and Job Fair on Sept. 24 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Quakertown Civic Center, 321 E. McKinney St. The morning session will connect Denton ISD eighth graders with local manufacturers, and the afternoon job fair will be free and open to the public. Employers and job seekers can register at https://www.DentonJobFair.com.
MLK recreation center closure – The MLK Jr. Recreation Center, 1300 Wilson St., will close temporarily starting Sept. 14 for updates and repairs and is expected to reopen Sept. 28. Active membership passes remain valid and can be used at other open recreation centers, with members age 50 and older also able to use the Denton Senior Center and American Legion Hall Senior Center. Updates are available at https://www.cityofdenton.com/reccenterclosure.
Heat shelter use – From Sept. 3 through Sept. 9, the Inclement Weather Shelter at the Denton Community Shelter, 909 N. Loop 288, opened seven times for overnight cooling during major or extreme heat risk conditions. Occupancy ranged from 173 to 186 beds, below the standard 195-bed capacity, which can be expanded when needed. Shelter and weather resources are available on the city website.
Mayor pet spotlight – This week’s featured adoptable pet is Bucky, a 2-year-old, 45-pound neutered male Boxer mix who has recovered from an upper respiratory infection and is ready for adoption. Staff say he does well around other dogs, is building confidence in play, and has good leash manners.
Council Member Requests
Oak and Texas safety changes – After a resident raised safety concerns at West Oak Street and North Texas Boulevard, transportation staff audited the intersection and plan to install all-way stop control and relocate the existing stop sign for better visibility from West Oak Street. The changes are expected within the next two to three weeks.
University and Redwood visibility improvements – After a resident asked about adding a traffic signal at University Drive and Redwood Place, transportation staff said an upcoming US 380 lighting project should improve nighttime visibility and vegetation clearing east of the intersection is expected within three to four weeks. Based on crash history, staff will add the location to the Highway Safety Improvement Program for TxDOT to consider a traffic signal and will recommend sidewalks along the south side of University Drive.
South Lakes court updates – After a resident asked about lighting, court spacing, and usage standards for pickleball at South Lakes Park, parks staff said additional lighting has been logged as a future budget request and extra striping is under review despite logistical challenges. Within the next month, staff plan to install courtesy signage covering court etiquette and a queuing system.
Street Closure Report: Upcoming Closures
There are no upcoming closures listed in this week's report.