SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 331
         WHEREAS, Proud residents of Grand Prairie are gathering in
  Austin on March 1, 2017, to celebrate Grand Prairie Day at the
  State Capitol; and
         WHEREAS, Founded during the Civil War and originally known
  as Deckman, the city was renamed Grand Prairie in the 1870s, and the
  Texas and Pacific Railway was built to the site in 1876; by 1890,
  the community boasted a public school, a steam gristmill-cotton
  gin, a broom factory, and a wagon factory; in 1928, Hensley Field
  was built just two miles east of Grand Prairie, and the field
  became the hub for area army operations; and
         WHEREAS, Grand Prairie experienced a substantial boom
  during World War II, when a military flight training center and
  an aircraft production factory were established nearby, bringing
  the city's population from 1,595 to approximately 18,000; and
         WHEREAS, Today, Grand Prairie continues to grow, and the
  community has been nationally ranked by WalletHub as the 13th
  best city for families and the 30th best city for jobs, and Forbes
  named it one of the best places to retire in the United States;
  furthermore, crime has dropped 37 percent since 2010, and
  according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Texas
  Department of Public Safety, Grand Prairie is the eighth safest
  major city in Texas with a population of more than 100,000; the
  Grand Prairie Police Department earned a White House Champions of
  Change award for its Youth Boxing Program in 2015, and the Grand
  Prairie Fire Department has achieved the coveted ISO 1 rating and
  was awarded the American Heart Association's Gold Standard for
  EMS service; and
         WHEREAS, Grand Prairie appeals to visitors and residents
  alike who enjoy such attractions as Lone Star Park, Verizon
  Theatre, and Uptown Theater, as well as popular annual events
  including the Prairie Dog Chili Cookoff, the Prairie Lights
  Christmas display, and the National Championship Indian Pow Wow;
  moreover, there are ample opportunities for recreation at scenic
  Joe Pool Lake, Mountain Creek Lake, Lynn Creek Park, and Loyd
  Park, and the city has begun construction on the Epic life
  center, which will include an indoor water park and an
  all-accessible playground; and
         WHEREAS, Grand Prairie's excellent location and numerous
  amenities make it an ideal community in which to live and work,
  and its citizens may indeed take great pride in their
  contributions to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
  Legislature, hereby recognize March 1, 2017, as Grand Prairie Day
  at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation
  sincere best wishes for an enjoyable day in Austin.
  Hancock, Birdwell, West
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on March 1, 2017.
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate