Here is the third and final part of our three-part weekly series featuring some of the great things about Celina, with this article focusing on: infrastructure. What exactly is “infrastructure”? The textbook definition describes it as the basic facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a community. That’s all sorts of things, like roads & transportation, communications, city planning including retail & commercial land development, energy, public institutions and more. To accommodate its anticipated growth, Celina has been working to improve the area’s infrastructure and not just keep up with surrounding areas, but to excel and be a forward-thinking and progressive city. Here are just a few ways Celina does just that.
New road construction is a biggie for Celina. This strategic construction will allow Celina to maintain its small-town feel while also giving its residents quick access to Dallas (just 40 miles away) and even closer neighboring cities like Frisco, Plano or McKinney. Road construction expected to be completed by the end of 2018 includes:
-NTTA fly over at ST 380 and Dallas North Tollway
-Collin County Outer Loop between Dallas North Tollway and Preston Road
-Dallas North Tollway North of FM 428 to Moberly
-Frontier Parkway expansion between Dallas North Tollway and Preston Road
-Carl Darnall Parkway from Preston Road through Parks of Wilson Creek to Custer (completion date is 2017)
Not only is it easy to get around in Celina, it’s on the way to becoming a smart city as well. The Celina Economic Development Community Gigabit City initiative is working to bring high-speed broadband access to every household and business within the city proper. This public-private partnership will allow Celina to become a US municipal leader in broadband service. The underground fiber optics system will eliminate the unsightly towers and poles typically associated with wireless service. And, this improved broadband service will help attract new businesses to the area and increase economic growth. View this YouTube video to learn more! (Pretty cool, huh?)
Corbett Howard, longtime Executive Director of Celina Economic Development Corp. and former Celina mayor from 2002 to 2008, recently did an interview with Celina Record (read full article here) in which he talks all about how he has “spent years working behind the scenes with major residential and commercial developers, as well as city planners and others, in preparation for big changes that will certainly reshape the local landscape.” ‘I guess you could say I’m Celina’s salesman, and it’s my passion,’ said Howard. In the interview he also shows off his newest sales tool: the EDC’s 2016 marketing and development map, which details current and planned residential, commercial and other development areas and projects, as well as key infrastructure and related elements that already exist or are expected to be built within Celina’s 78-square-mile footprint. Among the highlights of the map is a section near the bottom that stretches across Celina’s 10-mile southern border with Prosper. The article goes on to say that when construction is complete years from now, that section of the city will boast nearly 10,000 homes, which will attract commercial and retail development to the city to build shopping centers, restaurants and more.
Howard goes on to say that an area just east of the BNSF railroad line has been designated for light-industrial use, which will be great employment centers, and says he is confident that future development within the city will include a major hospital. He also states that he has had discussions about possibly building entertainment venues in Celina.
The city’s population now stands at around 12,000. By 2020, that number is expected to grow to 30,000, and a decade later to 100,000. At that point, “We will be (the same population that) Frisco was two years ago,” Howard said. By 2050, with an estimated 345,000 residents, Celina will likely be the second largest city in Collin County, following McKinney.
Through all the growth and imminent development, one thing is certain: city officials remain dedicated to preserving Celina’s foundation, as there are several areas throughout the city considered historic, including the downtown square and adjacent neighborhoods. Howard ends with, “I think as long as we can remember where came from … and maintain our heritage so that people understand that, we will always be talking about it.”
Celina is proud to be a growing, thriving, forward-thinking city that offers plenty of conveniences and amenities found in larger cities, while still remaining true to its small-town friendliness and charm. Convenient access, plenty of local businesses, strong infrastructure and year-round events for the entire family are all reasons why we love Celina, and it’s no wonder those who have made the move out here love calling Light Farms home.
