The closed Fairfield Lake State Park will temporarily reopen starting Tuesday.

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Officials plan to open Fairfield Lake State Park for daytime use Tuesday as the Legislature considers how rented property can be saved from being converted into homes.

The park closed to the public two weeks ago on February 27 as Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials prepared for the sale. The agency leased the site for free from Vistra Corp. for decades. and her predecessors.

Vistra decided to sell the property following the closure of a coal-fired power plant that operated across the lake from the park in 2018. TPWD officials said the agency only wanted to buy the portion of the property that included the park, and the company didn’t want to. selling by parts. The state never applied.

The agency has three more months before it has to vacate the land for good. A company called Todd Interests is planning to renovate the site, to the chagrin of park staff and many visitors who have walked its trails and boated on the lake for years.

At a House committee meeting last week, lawmakers wondered if the park could stay open a little longer as they figure out if anything can be done to save it in the meantime. Parks and wildlife officials say they have put in place a plan to temporarily reopen the facility from 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 14.

Access will be free and will be on a first come, first serve basis until the park fills up, so there will be no reservations or camping.

“While we remain committed to reaching a compromise that allows Fairfield Lake State Park to be preserved for future use, our team will work hard to make this gem as accessible as possible for as long as possible,” said Rodney Franklin, Director of Parks and State Parks. says in the statement.

Parks and Wildlife Commission Chairman Ark “Beaver” Aplin III said in a statement that he looks forward to continuing his conversation with Vistra and Todd Interests.


Disclosure: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has provided financial support to The Texas Tribune, a non-profit, non-partisan news organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Financial sponsors play no role in Tribune journalism. Find their full list here.

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