Texas Lawmakers Express Support for Preservation of Fairfield Lake State Park

Austin (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Members of the Texas Legislature express their support for efforts to keep North Texas State Park open.

Members of the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism are the latest officials to support conservation efforts at Fairfield Lake State Park. Last month Gov. Greg Abbott expressed his support to save the park.

Committee members, including chairman Trent Ashby, have expressed interest in working with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD) and property owners to find a solution that will keep the park for public use.

Committee members asked TPWD to consider temporarily reopening the park for daytime use. Fairfield Lake closed on February 28 after Vistra Corp. terminated a lease with TPWD ahead of a sale to Dallas-based developer Todd Interests.

In fiscal year 2022, the park welcomed 82,555 visitors, up from 58,991 in 2019. The 2,400-acre lake is a popular spot for perch fishing. It offers activities such as kayaking and swimming. The 1,460 acres of land around the lake are home to many bird species and have a 15-mile hiking trail.

Legislators considered the implications of diverting 14,000 acres of water from the lake. Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission chairman Arch “Beaver” Aplin III noted that this could cut the lake’s shore in half and wipe out native wildlife.

The Committee also discussed issues related to two cemeteries located in the park. Chancellor Union Cemetery and Friedman Cemetery, discovered in 2002, include graves dating back to the 1880s. The TWPD protected these sites from public access and commissioned archaeological research in 2007 to better understand their history.

“For Texans, Fairfield Lake State Park is a rare treasure that provides vital recreational space,” Aplin said. “When I hear Texans talking about this park, I hear them call it “our park.” … This applies to everyone, and I look forward to returning to the negotiating table to try to find a compromise that would allow the Texans to keep it.”

The state has until June 28, 2023 — 120 days from the park’s closure — to either find a solution or vacate the premises.