IRVING, Texas — The Irving City Council is considering renaming one of the city’s newest neighborhood parks to recognize both early pioneers and longtime community leaders.
During the February 26, 2026 City Council working session, City Manager Chris Hillman presented a report recommending that Lanotte Park be renamed Lanotte-Spurlock Park. Formal action on the proposal is expected at the March 12th City Council meeting.
Lanotte Park, which opened in December 2025, is located at 1416 N. Irving Heights Drive near the Grauwyler Road intersection. The four-acre neighborhood park was built primarily using funding approved by voters through the 2021 Municipal Bond Election, with a total project cost of approximately $1.77 million.
The park includes a quarter-mile lighted concrete walking trail, a bridge connecting two park areas across a drainage channel, a playground with shade canopy, and a pavilion designed for community gatherings.
Honoring Irving’s Early Roots
City officials say the proposed name change would preserve recognition of the Lanotte family, whose history in Irving dates back nearly 150 years.
Nicholas Lanotte, born in 1817 in what is now Belgium, immigrated to the United States in 1849 before eventually relocating his family to North Texas. In 1875, the Lanotte family purchased 112 acres of land in what would become Irving and moved to the area the following year.
The family operated a large farm bordered by present-day Irving Heights Drive, Nursery Road, Grauwyler Road, and Union Bower Road. Several Lanotte descendants continued farming in the area, and Nicholas John Lanotte later served as Irving’s postmaster until 1910. Members of the family are buried at Sowers Cemetery, one of Irving’s oldest historic sites.
Recognizing Decades of Civic Service
The proposed addition of the Spurlock name reflects more recent contributions to the city’s growth.
The Spurlock family has lived in Irving for more than six decades. Jack Spurlock served the community through extensive civic leadership, including two terms on the Irving City Council, multiple appointments as Chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission, and leadership as Chair of the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors from 1996 to 2002. He was honored with Irving’s High Spirited Citizen Award in 2004 and is also a World War II-era U.S. Navy veteran.
City officials noted that Spurlock’s wife Doris and daughters Brenda, Debbie, and Kittie have also contributed through civic involvement and community support efforts.
Community Feedback and Cost
According to the report, the Naming Committee gathered feedback from civic groups and community members in recent weeks, with responses described as overwhelmingly positive.
If approved, updating park signage would cost approximately $10,700, with no additional expenses anticipated. Existing city staff would update online and printed materials as part of normal operations.
City Council members are expected to consider final approval of the proposed name change at their March 12 meeting.
