Sugar Land Parks Board hears 60% design for Memorial Park splash pad; budget, safety, water use discussed

City of Sugar Land Parks Board members received a 60% design update on a proposed splash pad at Sugar Land Memorial Park during the board’s March 11, 2025 meeting.

Parks Development Manager Fengling Du presented the design package, said the project team selected a “lily pad” concept and said the city is “working toward the budget of approximately $700,000.” She told the board the consultant had produced six initial concepts and staff moved the chosen concept into design development.

The proposal calls for a fenced splash pad and playground cluster sited near existing restrooms, parking and trails, with most picnic seating placed under existing tree canopies. Du said the team had emphasized maintenance‑friendly features and accessibility while trying to preserve mature trees. “We have about a 600 square foot of splash zone” appears in one part of the transcript, but later the presentation references “about 1,600 square foot”; the transcript is inconsistent on the exact size and staff did not provide a final, single figure at the meeting.

Why it matters: The splash pad is one of five “quick win” projects the city identified to respond to resident requests for more shade, pavilions, playgrounds and water play. If the design and cost estimate hold, the project will go to the Sugar Land 4B board for funding approval, after which city staff will complete construction documents and seek bids.

Design and operation details

Du said the team contracted with consultant Kimley‑Horn to develop designs and to coordinate with splash‑pad vendors. The concept selected features three activity zones: a shallow toddler area, a universal transition zone and a dynamic zone with higher‑volume, interactive sprays and a central multi‑bucket dumping feature. Renderings shown to the board include a tactile “echo gather” table intended for mixed abilities and multi‑age play.

On water systems, Du said designers weighed a flow‑through system against a recycled water system and recommended flow‑through for this installation because of scale and lifecycle costs. “The rule of thumb is if it’s more than 3,000 square foot splash pad, they recommend…a recycle system,” Du said. For smaller pads she said recycling can increase chemical, pump and testing costs; for the option under consideration she said city water utility staff had judged a flow‑through system to be reasonable and that drained water would enter the storm system and the park lake.

Board questions: safety, gates and supervision

Board members asked about several operational and safety issues. Heather (Parks Board member) asked about the lake‑replenishment idea: “How often do we normally replenish the lake?” Du replied that the city had consulted water‑utility staff and that the flow‑through water would go to the storm system and lake, but she did not provide a refill schedule.

Members queried access between the splash pad/playground and the park’s multiuse path, which carries runners and cyclists. Sunny (Parks Board member) asked whether a gate would separate the splash pad area from the lakeside gravel trail; Du said the project team had deliberately curved the path and concentrated picnic seating and sight lines to reduce the risk of children running directly onto the trail. She added the design includes a gate on the 10‑foot concrete shared‑use path side for maintenance access and that adding a second gate on the lakeside could be done later if needed, but staff currently prefer not to add another gate because of ongoing maintenance demands.

Board members also asked about supervision. Kelsey (Parks Board member) asked whether any staff or security would monitor the splash pad. Du said the city’s approach is consistent with other public splash pads and playgrounds: parents and guardians are responsible for supervision. The project will include posted rules and signage.

Schedule and next steps

Du said the consultant will complete the 90% design and a refined cost estimate for presentation to the Sugar Land 4B board for funding approval. If schedules hold, staff expect construction documents by summer 2025, with construction beginning in late 2025 and the splash pad available for community use in summer 2026.

Quotes

“We’re working toward the budget of approximately $700,000,” Fengling Du said, describing the target cost range and the tradeoffs that led staff to prioritize the splash pad over extensive new paving or shade structures.

“The rule of thumb is if it’s more than 3,000 square foot splash pad, they recommend…a recycle system,” Du said when explaining why staff are planning a flow‑through rather than a recycled water system for this installation.

Meeting action notes

At the start of the meeting the board approved minutes from the Jan. 14, 2025 meeting by voice vote; the transcript records a motion by Andy (Parks Board member), and a second acknowledged by Kelly (Parks Board member), after which the chair said the motion carries. The board later adjourned by motion and voice vote.

What remains unclear

Transcript remarks WRT splash pad area are inconsistent (both “about 600 square foot” and “about 1,600 square foot” are recorded). Staff said the consultant will refine the design and cost estimate; the board will consider the updated cost and then refer the project to Sugar Land 4B for funding approval.

The Parks Board did not take a funding vote at the March 11 meeting.