Where the Heart Is: Quail Creek Neighborhood Update

Garland's Where the Heart Is program has started its yearlong focus on the Quail Creek neighborhood. Where the Heart Is is a neighborhood strengthening initiative that leverages community engagement efforts to realize social connections and physical improvements within a specific area.

Quail Creek is bound by Miller Road, Swan Drive, Quail Drive, High Meadow Drive and Danbury Drive. The area includes more than 500 single-family homes in subdivisions including Quail Creek, Monica Park Heights and Mill Creek Crossing. Other features include the Garland Independent School District's Austin Academy, a green parkway and James Park, an adjacent neighborhood park.

Residents of the Quail Creek neighborhood met with City of Garland's Neighborhood Vitality Department Feb. 22 at the Gale Fields Recreation Center. The Community Gathering was the first of a series of meetings among City staff, elected officials and Quail Creek residents to discuss challenges residents face and potential improvement ideas.

Neighborhood Vitality has also been working in the neighborhood by distributing fliers, mailing postcards with survey invitations, and hosting a "Coffee and Donuts Meetup" on Feb. 3.

Staff will research the issues identified at the meeting and present staff-initiated ideas at the next meeting, March 28. We will work in partnership with Quail Creek residents at future meetings to hone these ideas into projects to be implemented. Residents will have the opportunity to discuss the design of James Park at another future meeting.