Heritage Park is Belton's big all-purpose park

Heritage Park is the largest park in Belton, 155 acres at 1502 Park Avenue, where 13th meets Old Waco Road. It is the kind of park a family can split up in and still be in the same place: athletic fields on one side, picnic tables and grills under the trees, a community garden, a fishing dock, two pavilions, and a playground built to be accessible for kids with special needs.

The park is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., so it covers early walks and evening ball games alike. The community garden plots are a nice tell on their own: a town that sets aside public ground for people to grow vegetables is a town where neighbors stick around. If you are sizing up a Belton neighborhood, a park like this says a lot about everyday life here.

Pavilions and fields can be reserved, and rules change, so confirm availability with the City of Belton parks office before you plan a gathering or a ball game.