Parks and Recreation officials told the Garland City Council on Aug. 16 that the new Surf & Swim aquatic facility is scheduled for substantial completion next March and will open for the 2026 summer season, and they requested additional operating funding and fee adjustments tied to the new amenities.

Parks Director (presenter name not given in transcript; staff identified Carrie Pacheco and Recreation Director Albert Montero as part of the presentation) summarized a $1.4 million total Surf & Swim request, consisting of about $759,000 proposed as ongoing and $647,000 proposed using one‑time resources for FY26. Staff said the larger seasonal staffing requirement accounts for most of the increased recurring cost: “The facility, when it was open before as a wave pool, required 9 lifeguards. And now ... it takes 28 to 29 lifeguards just to safely staff that new operation,” the presenter said.

Proposed fees and rentals
Staff benchmarked Metroplex aquatic fees and proposed resident and nonresident pricing: resident youth admission $10 and adult $13; nonresident youth $14 and adult $17. The department also proposed after‑hours rentals, cabana rentals, pavilion rentals and a cooler fee. Example proposals: a resident after‑hours facility rental of $1,400 (2 hours), cabana for three hours at $45 for residents and $60 for nonresidents, and a party room rental of $120 for residents.

Parks asked council for other near‑term operations and maintenance one‑time items totaling roughly $200,000 to cover maintenance for recently completed or upcoming park projects. Staff also requested $500,000 in equipment replacement through a CIP amendment (riding mowers, tractors, utility vehicles and a forklift), citing aging equipment and high replacement costs.

Why it matters
Parks is one of the larger general‑fund cost centers (culture and recreation was listed at about $31 million, roughly 12% of general fund spending). The department framed the fee changes and rentals as part of a long‑term approach to cover operating costs for new assets built through the 2019 bond program.

Council questions and staff responses
Councilmembers asked about: the timing of opening (staff confirmed next summer); whether the Surf & Swim one‑time funding will be re‑evaluated in FY27 (staff said it would be considered during the next budget cycle, with the potential to move into ongoing funding); senior rates and season‑pass options (staff said those ideas can be studied and brought back as fee amendments); and operations such as park maintenance scheduling and graffiti removal. Parks staff said they can provide more detailed, year‑one operating cost estimates if council desires.

Ending
The council did not vote on Surf & Swim funding during the workshop. Staff included the requests in the proposed budget packet and noted that some items will be added to a CIP amendment presented to council at an upcoming work session.