Work will soon be underway to add a new dog park and play zone at McKinney’s Towne Lake Park near US 75.

In a nutshell: Council members approved two contracts Aug. 18 for construction and materials testing services related to new construction at the park. The project will include construction of a new dog park, two parking lots, restrooms, two sand volleyball courts and more, according to a city document. The new features will be located between the McKinney Senior Recreation Center and Grady Littlejohn Sports Complex.

The cost: Council members approved up to $8.05 million for the two contracts which includes contingency amounts. Construction of the dog park is expected to cost $2.1 million and construction of the play zone is expected to cost $5.5 million, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Kinkade said.

A new Valhallan Esports Training Arena will soon open in McKinney, according to a company news release.

The specifics: Valhallan acts as a local hub for young gamers of all skill levels, according to its website. The arena will offer structured coaching while building teamwork skills like communication and collaboration in young gamers.

• 6541 Collin McKinney Parkway, Ste. 104, McKinney

McKinney City Council members are expected to vote on the city’s fiscal year 2026-27 tax rate and budget at an upcoming Sept. 1 meeting.

In a nutshell: The city’s proposed budget totals $880 million and allocates funding for all of McKinney’s operating funds as well as its Capital Improvements Program, according to a city document. Council members are also considering a property tax rate of $0.412284 per $100 valuation, which would be the same rate as last year.

The median taxable value of properties in McKinney is estimated to be $518,165, according to 2026 certified totals from Collin Central Appraisal District. The owner of a median-valued property would pay a property tax bill of about $2,136.31 under the proposed tax rate, according to a taxpayer impact statement.

Also on the agenda: Council members are also scheduled to consider a commercial zoning case for nearly 9.8 acres of land located along Eldorado Parkway. McKinney’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the zoning request during an Aug. 11 meeting.

As drought conditions increase the risk of wildfires, Denton and Collin County residents will see restrictions on outdoor burning.

In a nutshell: Both counties are under a mandatory burn ban as of Aug. 25, according to local officials.

What you need to know: The mandatory burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning, and hot work like welding is subject to restrictions, per the release.

The conditions: Aug. 30 marks the Dallas-Fort Worth area’s 46th day with only trace amounts of rain, based on readings from the official climate site at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The streak is tied for the area’s tenth longest stretch of consecutive days without measurable precipitation on record, per the National Weather Service.

In similar news: The Denton and Collin County burn bans come as the Ross fire continues to rage through Palo Pinto county, roughly two hours west of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Check out five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. Coleman Street Widening
Project: Coleman Street in Prosper is being widened to four lanes. One project will widen the roadway from two to four lanes between Gorgeous Road and Prosper Trail, and a second project will construct the remaining two southbound lanes of Coleman Street between Prosper Trail and Prosper High School.
Update: Both projects are nearing completion of the design phase. The town has acquired necessary right of way for both sections, and utility relocation is underway.

• Timeline: winter 2026-winter 2027
• Cost: $6.65 million (Gorgeous Road to Prosper Trail), $3.77 million (Prosper Trail to Prosper High School)
• Funding source: town of Prosper

• Timeline: late July-early September
• Cost: not available
• Funding source: Atmos Gas

The Texas Department of Transportation manages over 200,000 miles of state highways. Roughly 72% of all vehicle travel in the state occurs on TxDOT-maintained highways, TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said.

As Texas’ population continues to grow, so does “demand on our transportation systems, from busy urban corridors to rural communities,” Williams told lawmakers during an Aug. 17 hearing held by the Texas House Transportation Committee.

What's happening: More than 11,000 TxDOT projects are currently in the works, according to the agency’s website.

To keep motorists informed about road construction, TxDOT collects public input during the project planning process, then conducts outreach on social media, on project websites and through email notifications before and during closures, according to Eric Lykins, TxDOT’s senior director of district operations. The agency also places electronic message signs on roadways ahead of closures or detours, he said.

Some state lawmakers are encouraging transportation officials to improve outreach to motorists when roads, lanes and exits are closed or adjusted.