The Mineola Nature Preserve will remain closed for the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.

But the expansive park will be open for regular operations on the prior weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7.

The Mineola City Council approved part of a modified request from the Parks and Open Spaces Advisory Board on Monday to allow the park to be open.

The council had voted on Jan. 10 to close the park to all activities for all three days, effectively canceling a three-day festival that the board had been planning for years.

It was a 4-3 vote, with Mayor Jayne Lankford casting the tiebreaker, citing guidance from city staff that an event at the preserve on the day of the eclipse could overwhelm city resources.

Lankford said Monday that a poll of the department heads indicated opening the preserve for normal operations (sunrise to sunset) would be acceptable over the pre-eclipse weekend.

The vote to approve the change was 5-1, with Sue Jones opposing.

She noted that opening the preserve could help alleviate some of the expected congestion in other areas.

Prior to the vote, the council heard from several citizens.

Johnny Taylor said he was in favor of keeping the preserve open, especially Saturday and Sunday.

It will be sad if people don’t have access to one of the city’s best amenities, he said.

David Householder called the preserve one of the greatest resources of the community, and this is an opportunity to use it under a controlled situation.

Crystal Arcand said the preserve is a daily resource for citizens in numerous ways, and the eclipse is a giant opportunity to observe nature and should be open all days.

Linda Timmons said she understood the potential for problems on that day, but to allow it to open the other days.

Carter Mize posed the question what people might say about this if the preserve was open compared to what they might say if it is closed.

They would leave bitter, he said, and it would incentivize visitors to go elsewhere.

Board President Heath Kinder said they have seen a strong response from the community over the closure.

He said this was “One last cry” to showcase the preserve to visitors. There will be no event and no marketing of the preserve.

Fire department operations Chief Aaron Munn said the concerns have not changed since Jan. 10, with infrastructure and personnel limitations.

He said he has contacted cities in other states in the path of the eclipse and they are saying the same things.