Haslet mayor: City awarded Gamble Park construction contract; board given updates on Memorial Garden, volleyball and planting plans

Mayor Hulsley updated the Haslet Park and Recreation Board on May 14 that the City Council on May 5 awarded a $350,194.14 contract to MHP Construction Inc. to perform work at Community (Gamble) Park.

Why it matters: the contract covers trail drainage and reconstruction, erosion protection at the park’s water crossings, site work for a new picnic pavilion and new shade and bench amenities that are expected to change how parts of the park are used during events and daily recreation.

“The contract was awarded the last council meeting, 05/05/2025, to MHP Construction Inc for $350,194.14,” Mayor Hulsley said during the board meeting. The mayor told the board the contractor will provide a construction schedule within a week and that construction is expected to be completed by mid-September 2025.

Hulsley said the contract price covers trail drainage, trail reconstruction, erosion protection for upper and lower water crossings, a reinforced concrete slab for a picnic pavilion and two 10-by-10 shade structures adjacent to benches. The city separately ordered the pavilion itself; Hulsley said that direct-purchasing the pavilion reduces the overall cost and that the purchase price for the pavilion is “in the neighborhood of $25,000.” The contractor’s bid will include erection of that structure.

The mayor also briefed the board on other park projects included in the same project update. Public works crews ordered additional sand for the sand-volleyball court and will add about three inches of new sand and rework the surface; Hulsley said that work should be complete within two weeks. He said the Veterans Memorial Garden had recent brick resetting and underlayment work and that additional granite rock would be added to cover the weed barrier for the Memorial Day ceremony.

Hulsley told the board that a landscape architect will be retained to produce design graphics for a longer Veterans Memorial Garden redesign. He said he had reached out to architectural firms for landscape-architect recommendations and expected to report back next month with a recommended firm and design concepts for the board’s review and approval.

Board members asked whether construction activity would interfere with scheduled community events, including the July 4 celebration. Hulsley said the contractor would minimize operations and attempt to avoid significant disruption to scheduled events. The board will be asked to review and approve design graphics and any final layout for the Veterans Memorial Garden before those projects move forward.

Ending: The board did not take a formal vote on any of these staff-led capital projects at the May 14 meeting; Hulsley said the board would be asked to approve design materials and any related permits or easements once schematic designs are available.