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Design team presents Old Town Park master plan centered on Pflugerville water tower; phased buildout could top $5 million
Summary
City staff and designers presented a master plan to reimagine Old Town Park around the existing water tower, citing extensive neighborhood engagement, a multi-phased design with play, shade, trails and a pavilion, and multiple potential funding sources; no approvals were sought and staff will take the plan to commissions for review.
City staff and the design team presented a master plan to reimagine Old Town Park around the city’s historic water tower at a Pflugerville City Council work session, emphasizing public engagement, phased construction and multiple funding options.
Designers said the plan centers on the existing water tower as a landmark and educational feature about water sourcing, transport and stewardship. The concept layers multi-generational play, a splash feature, a pavilion with restrooms, lawn areas, shaded seating, rain gardens and a meandering trail that would cross and reduce a section of Hoops Avenue to expand park acreage.
"We heard pretty overwhelmingly, we want the water tower to stay as it is," Megan, a landscape architect with TBG Partners, said of public feedback.
Designers described extensive outreach: event tables at Rock the Block and Deutschenfest; on-site neighborhood door‑hangers and a two-month online survey. Staff reported roughly 1,200 public "touch points" during engagement, about 20 online survey responses and that 29% of survey respondents live within a half mile of the park, 44% within a mile and 87% within five miles. Staff also said 37% of respondents reported they never visit the existing park.
Key design details in the presentation included a central elevated boardwalk around the water tower with seating and integrated swings and cargo‑net play; a pavilion and restroom on the park’s right side; rain gardens and passive discovery spaces on the left; parallel on‑street parking stripes created by a proposed road diet; and evergreen buffers and berms (designers estimated berm heights "6 to 8 feet" and recommended 10–12 foot evergreens for backyard screening). Designers said all paths would be built to ADA standards.
Council members raised questions about parking demand, whether the park should aim to be a neighborhood pocket park or a small regional destination, and how much pavement to abandon on Hoops Avenue to enlarge the park. One staff member said the site would expand to about 1.3 acres if additional pavement is removed.
Designers gave an early cost outlook and funding options. Staff estimated a full buildout could be "potentially over $5 million" and said the project is planned as a phased buildout (two to three phases discussed). Possible funding sources listed during the discussion included the Capital Improvement Program, parkland dedication funds (which require parking and restroom facilities to qualify), developer contributions, sidewalk/road fees and a potential future general-obligation bond.
No formal action was taken; staff said the plan will go next to the parks and recreation and planning and zoning commissions before returning to council for further direction.
