Prosper council reviews Windsong Community Park master plan funded by TELUS; council asks for more athletic field options

The Town of Prosper on April 22 reviewed a conceptual master plan for Windsong Community Park that was funded by TELUS and prepared by TBG Design Group. Dan Baker, a town parks staff member, presented the plan and told council there is no construction funding yet; the design exercise was done so the town has a conceptual framework when funding becomes available.

Baker said the town solicited public feedback through a survey that produced 555 responses that were "essentially in support." He described project goals as preserving and restoring habitat, respecting natural resources and climate through features such as bioswales, and creating "comfortable, social and inclusive spaces" with pedestrian connectivity and an interwoven trail network that would connect to the Bella Webb Trail.

The concept calls for multipurpose rectangular fields (with artificial turf under consideration), a large inclusive playground with a "wind and prairie" theme, courts for racket sports, a mix of improved and soft-surface trails, bioswales and a bridge across a creek linking to school property north of the park. Baker said some northern portions of the site sit in floodplain or steep slopes and would be left as native prairie or soft-surface trail areas.

Council members generally praised the trail network and playground renderings and urged staff to evaluate additional athletic-field options. Council Member Jeff Hodges and others recommended maximizing practical playing fields on the relatively flat southern portion of the site — including adding baseball/softball diamonds or more rectangular practice fields — to meet youth-sports demand. "If we can squeeze in a couple more, maybe soccer slash multi-purpose," Hodges said.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Amy Bartley and others stressed the plan should remain conceptual: labels on the drawing should not be interpreted as guaranteed final amenities. "I would hate for that to be something that would, you know, we would have to change later on," Bartley said, urging staff to emphasize the plan is a guide. Council members also raised parking limits for large events and asked staff to consider how the site might be used for occasional larger gatherings, and to evaluate cell coverage and lighting for safety and programming.

Baker said the master plan was a donated study and could be used for future bond planning; he asked council to submit comments by e-mail so they can be folded into the next presentation. "This plan will be good 10 years from now," Baker said. "If something were to change as far as an activity, we could certainly plug and play." The council did not take action; the item was for discussion and will return with revisions.

Why it matters: The plan identifies a potential large park on Prosper's west side with a mix of passive and active amenities. Council members signaled priority for additional playing fields to meet current youth-sports demand while keeping nature-preservation elements and circulation in the design.

Proposed funding: Baker said TELUS funded the conceptual study; no construction funding or schedule was specified. Council members discussed the property in the context of other town-owned parcels under master planning.