The City of Cleburne’s Hulen Park now has more for visitors to love. Thanks to a $13,000 donation by the Cleburne Rotary Club, the park has a new gaga pit and game table.
A gaga pit is an octagonal fenced-in area of turf in which players can play gaga ball. The game is typically played with a foam or rubber ball with the goal of hitting opponents with the ball below the knees.
Also toward the northern end of the park is a new game table that participants can use to play chess or checkers.
The areas officially opened to the public on Feb. 15 during a brief ceremony. Mollie Mims, member of the Cleburne Rotary Club, said the organization is honored to be able to enrich the park for more people to enjoy.
“For some of us who have lived here all of our lives, Hulen Park is part of our history, so for the Rotary Club to be able to enhance it with a couple of pieces of equipment is pretty exciting,” she said. “And for all the new people in town, it gives them something else to do too, so we hope to keep adding things and expand our project donations.”
To help raise funds for the project, the Cleburne Rotary Club held its annual fish fry. The 2023 fish fry will be held on Friday, April 21 at the Cleburne Conference Center.
Aaron Dobson, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said he is grateful for the Rotary Club and the passion they have for giving back to the community.
“We have a great relationship with our rotary club, and it’s those community partnerships that allow us to continue to provide special amenities that everyone can enjoy,” said Dobson. “I want to thank the Cleburne Rotary Club for holding their fundraisers and donating those proceeds to the city. These games will be able to be enjoyed for years to come.”
Those who would like to utilize the new areas will need to bring their own balls and game pieces. Each designated area has a sign next to it that guides visitors on how to use the game attractions.