Noble E. Young Park is often rented out for functions such as birthday parties, family reunions and more, said Tyler Parks and Recreation Director Leanne Robinette.

The Tyler City Council on Wednesday approved a construction contract for a 30-by-30-foot pavilion and restroom at Noble E. Young Park, signaling renovations at the park are almost complete.

SCI Construction was given the contract with a bid of $251,450.

“(SCI Construction) will get started on that as quickly as possible,” Parks and Recreation Director Leanne Robinette said. “We’re really excited — that’ll be the final phase of the construction.”

Robinette previously said that Noble E. Young had been “pretty dilapidated” before the renovations.

“The restrooms weren’t working out there, so we feel like it’s gonna bring a great pride to the community that uses it, as well as other people that might not even know that park’s there because it’s kind of hidden,” she said.

The last time updates were performed at Noble E. Young were in the 1990s with new small features and a skate park area, Robinette previously said.

One newly completed feature of the park is about a 1-mile long, 8-foot wide walking trail constructed by Garrett and Associates.

“The trail is 100 percent completed,” Robinette said. “It looks amazing.”

The only detail needed for the new trail is benches and trash receptacles. Robinette said the city is waiting for these to be delivered.

Along with the pavilion and restroom, other features remaining to be completed at the park include an outdoor exercise area and a children’s bike park, she said. These two projects will not require a lot of work, Robinette added.

Work on the outdoor exercise area and the accompanying shade structure should begin soon, she said.

Renovations at Noble E. Young were scheduled to be completed by the start of August, and Robinette said she now expects all work to be finished within the next month or so.

The park updates have been paid for through the federal Community Development Block Grant Program, which specifically helps parks or locations in lower-income neighborhoods, Robinette said.

In order to comply with the grant program guidelines, a certain amount of money had to be spent on the park by the start of August.

Once the renovations are completed, “We think that it’ll bring great pride to the community, a place (residents) can go and feel safe and that they know we care enough to make these renovations and repairs,” Robinette previously said. “We hear them when they let us know that some things need to be changed.”

Renovations to Noble E. Young are part of a 20-year master plan for parks and open spaces first adopted by the city in 2010, Robinette previously said.

This plan includes a ranking of all 28 parks in Tyler and renovations needed.

To learn more about the renovations to Noble E. Young Park and other Tyler Parks and Recreation improvement projects. visit www.TylerParksandRec.com or call (903) 531-1370.