Prosper parks staff report events, Raymond Park construction progress and new event specialist

Staff for the Town of Prosper offered a range of operational updates at the April 10 Park and Recreation Board meeting, including event recaps, construction progress at Raymond Community Park, landscaping work on First Street and a new hire to support events.

Caitlin Stone, recreation staff, recapped a downtown block party held the previous Saturday. Stone thanked local organizer Becca Hardick and downtown businesses that sponsored the event; she said weather—about 47 degrees and late rain—made conditions challenging but the event finished as planned. Stone listed businesses participating in the upcoming “Blooms and Bubbly / Prosper on Tap” event planned for May 10 and said marketing and ticketing are nearly complete. She also reminded the board that the Memorial Day ceremony will take place May 26 at the Frontier Park Pavilion and that a Rotary Club-led groundbreaking for a Veterans Memorial will follow immediately after the ceremony.

Stone and Talia Stevenson said the department will launch an internal resident survey in May to collect feedback on special events, working with staff Patty Kinsey and Wilson Haynes. Stone said the survey is intended to supplement third-party survey results and to guide future event planning.

Dan Baker, director, reported on the P-town pickleball event and said the town had 26 participants across 13 teams. He said the long-term plan is to hold the event at Raymond Community Park once dedicated pickleball courts are complete. Baker also announced a returning staff member: Angela Lewis will start Monday as the department’s event specialist to support a growing events calendar.

Kurt Ballahertz provided an update on Raymond Community Park construction. He said moisture conditioning for courts is finished, irrigation is approximately 80% complete and the playground border is being formed. Ballahertz said contractors are addressing erosion and abutment work on trail bridges and that staff hope to secure funding in the future for fiberglass-style bridges that are resistant to rust.

Matt Furr of Parr Corporation described routine seasonal landscape maintenance, said work on First Street is about 50% complete and that crews will address warranty issues arising after winter storms. He noted a typical one-year warranty period for landscaping items and said staff will continue punch-list work as planting windows open.

Board members had no extended debate on the operational updates. Staff invited board members to visit Raymond Community Park while construction continues and offered to share photos and schedule site visits.

The board’s next regular meeting was scheduled for May 8; staff also noted the National Day of Prayer event on May 1.