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Edinburg EDC: Mayor García adds landmark “special needs” park, designed for Edinburg’s younger residents, to Downtown Master Plan

Edinburg EDC: Mayor García adds landmark “special needs” park, designed for Edinburg’s younger residents, to Downtown Master Plan - Titans of the Texas Legislature

Featured: Following his State of the City Address on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, held inside the newly-opened $5 million IMAX theatre at Carmike Cinemas, Mayor Richard García, speaking to area journalists in a section of the IMAX lobby, praises Edinburg for its many assets, including the diversity of its people.

Photograph By DIEGO REYNA

With more than 80,000 Hidalgo County residents estimated by the state government with various types and degrees of disabilities, Edinburg Mayor Richard García, whose hometown is the county seat, wants them and their loved ones to know they are very important to the general well-being, positive image, reputation for diversity, and successes of the city. As part of his vision for Edinburg is a landmark plan to create a “special needs” park next to City Hall that would provide recreational equipment and positive experiences for children and teens with hearing, vision, independent living, ambulatory or cognitive difficulties. “This park will be a place where children with all types of challenges will be able to enjoy the outdoors, and have fun with other kids,” the mayor said. “It will be a place where they can learn about feelings of belonging and acceptance.” García, during his Wednesday, April 12, 2017 State of the City Address that he delivered as part of the public unveiling of the $5 million IMAX theater at Carmike Cinemas, emphasized his determination for such an outdoors complex. At the State of the City address, in announcing the special needs park, the mayor was joined by several young people and their families who represented the many residents for which the park is being created. Funding for the special needs park, when a final price tag is determined at a later date, will include financial support from the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The mayor’s proposed special needs park also sends a clear message to Edinburg’s youngest residents that the city government is responsive to all of its constituents. “Everyone, no matter what challenges or difficulties we face, has the potential for greatness,” García reflected. “This park will let people know that all of our young people are part of their hometown’s goals and achievements. Edinburg’s current successes and bright future will depend on the city’s leadership providing our young people with the encouragement, opportunities, resources, and physical and emotional support to help them reach their goals and dreams.” In general, a special needs park has an all-inclusive playground that is a place where children can play together with their peers, family, friends, and neighbors without experiencing physical or social barriers to inclusion. Play components are featured that challenge and accommodate typically developing children, as well as children with autism, hearing impairments, cognitive disabilities, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and other physical and developmental needs.

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Deep South Texas’ first IMAX theater coming to Edinburg; city’s March 2016 retail economy shows 8.04 percent improvement over March 2015 figure

Photograph: pocket-lint.com

Featured: An IMAX theater, similar to the one featured in this image by pocket-lint.com, will be coming to Carmike 20 Cinemas in Edinburg and is scheduled to open next year, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The news comes as the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts released statewide data showing the retail economy in Edinburg for the month of March 2016 is more than eight percent better than the same month last year.

Photograph: pocket-lint.com

Edinburg’s retail economy during March 2016 was more than eight percent ahead of the same period last year, much better than the statewide average of all Texas cities for the same period, which came in with a 1.4 percent improvement, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. This latest positive news about the Edinburg’s economy, which was prepared by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and released on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, came as Carmike Cinemas’ corporate headquarters revealed they have begun large-scale renovations at its Carmike Cinemas 20 entertainment complex in Edinburg. The nearest IMAX to the Valley is located in Corpus Christi.

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