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City plans park improvements
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com
Plano officials are quick to brag about the city's parks and recreation department. They are also willing to put their money where their mouth is.
The city will spend nearly $16 million in capital reserve and community improvement funds to spruce up existing parks, trails and recreation centers during the 2012-2013 budget year. The improvements include $3 million designated for Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve as well as $2.55 million on athletic fields.
"The park master plan is the guide for any improvements we make in parks and recreation," said Robin Reeves, the city's chief park planner. "We either try and further completion of the park master plan, or renovate or replace some existing facility that is already on the plan."
However, outside of the trail connection, the rest of the renovations are still up in the air, Reeves said.
"Nothing has been designed at this point, but there has been some desire from people who use the amphitheater to have more seating there, so potentially this could add fixed seating at that facility up to about 3,500 seats," Reeves said. "... It also could be for additional trails or for some neighborhood park improvements on the north side."
Councilman Pat Miner said he would support adding parking to the north side of the park, while Councilwoman Andre Davidson said she preferred adding seating to the amphitheater.
Changes are also planned for Oak Point Recreation Center, located adjacent to the nature preserve. The city will spend $600,000 to hire an architect to come up with plans to upgrade the 12-year-old facility.
"The expansion would include the addition of a 5,000-square-foot fitness area similar to what we have at Carpenter Park and also at the Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center," Reeves said. "Also, improvements to the locker rooms and the family changing rooms [are planned], as well as possibly some additional amenities at the indoor and outdoor pools."
With nearly 70,000 residents under the age of 18, Plano has a large number of athletic facilities. Work on these facilities includes adding shade structures at Russell Creek Park and Heritage Yards Athletic Complex, which will also receive 120 new parking spaces. Money has also been set aside to begin planning for a community skate park, although no location has been selected and no timetable has been announced for its construction.
The athletic facilities at High Point Park will also receive renovations, including new lighting and restroom facilities, as well as a new restroom and irrigation system.
"This is really a major renovation to this facility," Reeves said of the nearly 30-year-old park. "We are going to see more of these as we go forward into the future, especially at our athletic sites."
The tennis courts at Plano West and Plano East will also receive lights at a combined price tag of $500,000. The lights will be similar to those installed at Plano Senior High. The courts are used by students during the day, but are open to the public during non-school hours.
One of the newest park facilities in the city is White Rock Creek Community Park, located at the intersection of Spring Creek Parkway and Windhaven Parkway. The city acquired the final piece of land for the park in 2009, and will spend $300,000 this year to begin formal planning. Construction on the 124-acre park -- which will include trails, playgrounds and open space -- should begin in late 2013 or 2014.
The budget also includes $2.5 million for improvements to the Plano Centre, although the council has made no decision on the building's future, which has been losing business to locations in other cities and only recovers about 60 percent of the money it takes to operate. Ideas that have been discussed include adding a hotel or convention center, although City Manager Bruce Glasscock said last month he didn't believe either would happen and future development along the U.S. 75 corridor may determine what eventually happens to the 22-year-old building.
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