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E-mail This StoryA long anticipated park project will soon break ground after the Plano City Council approved a $7.3 million contract, Monday.
Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, Plano’s largest park consisting of 800 acres, is on its way to become a regional attraction.
“It’s going to be one of our crown jewels in Plano,” said Tom Muehlenbeck Plano’s city manager.
The phase-three bid will consist of a 276 space parking lot, a concrete trail, which will connect into the trail at Bob Woodruff Park, Jupiter Road., Los Rios Blvd. and the Oak Point Amphitheater.
The bid will also include three pedestrian bridges, a restroom building, pavilion, tree planting, irrigation, erosion control and native grass establishment.
“I think Oak Point is going to be the equivalent of Central Park for North Texas in years ahead,” said Shep Stahel, former councilman and member of the Park Board that created the Oak Point master plan. “With the 800 plus acres, trails, lakes and visitors pavilion, it will be the center piece and a magnet for people who like to be one with nature. The bottom line, it’s a tremendous access for the entire region and I’m delighted to see it get started.”
According to Robin Reeves, Plano’s chief park planner, the bid will not include the visitors or retreat center originally planned. He said he anticipates having additional money in the next bond program to complete the project. He said this phase of the project’s estimated completion is set for fall 2009.
“The visitor’s center and retreat center are primarily not on this bid because those buildings need to be staffed and with the city’s current budget situation, it’s not feasible,” Reeves said.
Stahel said he believes the current bid should include the visitor’s center.
“I think it’s high time to build the trails, but also get started on the visitor’s center,” Stahel said. “I would like council to add it to the budget. There is not another park in this region like Oak Point. It will be a fabulous place for people to commune with nature and exercise. This is a great first start, but I think the citizens are expecting to see more.”
Council adopted the Park Board’s master plan in 1999 and the voters approved the bond money in 2005. Being three years behind construction, Muehlenbeck said since the project was approved by voters; it will have priority.
“I can’t make any promises it will be included in next year’s budget,” Muehlenbeck said. “Any project approved by voters will have priority.”
Muehlenbeck said the delay was a result of hiring architects, selling bonds, getting LEED certifications, making sure the buildings are LEED certified.
“The consultant took longer than we anticipated,” Muehlenbeck said. “We had an early estimate, before we talked about making the buildings as green as possible.”
Reeves said in the future, the parking lot will be set up where it will capture rain water and the buildings will collect rain water off the roof for irrigation purposes. He said the landscaping around the buildings will be low maintenance and all the building’s materials will be environmentally friendly with recycled materials that are available locally so they do not have to be shipped.
“We will have energy efficient lighting and the building will be designed to take advantage of natural light,” Reeves said.
Stahel, who spent five years on the Park Board, said he has been watching the development of Oak Point Park for 20 years.
“I had a great passion to get the visitors center built on my watch,” Stahel said. “The whole Park Board and staff worked really hard to put together the master plan that council adopted including the visitor’s center. I think the citizens are ready to see dirt flying. I’m very enthusiastic about the project starting, but it ought to also include the visitor’s center.”
In 2003, the first phase of park improvements included utilities and parking spaces to support special events, such as the Plano Balloon Festival.
Phase-two was completed in September 2005, prior to the park hosting the Plano Balloon Festival. Improvements included seating for 1,000 people on terraces and native Texas limestone retaining walls, permanent sound and lights, an entertainment roof structure, comfortable and convenient restroom facilities and production control room; all in a wild land setting for music and performing arts.
Reeves said the majority of the park is undeveloped excluding where the existing amphitheater is located on the park’s west side.
“The new park improvements will open up that whole big area,” Reeves said. “It will give people a place to park and have access to the trails, with a pavilion and restrooms.”
Contact Stephanie Flemmons at sflemmons@acnpapers.com
