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Splash pad season and Thursday maintenance day remain as staff recommends; board asks for usage data
Summary
Staff described DoubleTree Ranch Park splash pad operations and maintenance schedule — Memorial Day through Labor Day, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., closed Thursdays — and recommended keeping the schedule. Board members asked staff to record community requests and consider a later study or survey on extending the season.
Parks staff briefed the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on March 17 about current operating dates and maintenance practices for the DoubleTree Ranch Park splash pad and recommended maintaining the existing schedule rather than expanding hours this year.
Brian Norton, assistant director for Parks and Projects, described the splash pad’s current season and schedule: the 2025 season is set to open on May 26 and run through Labor Day (Sept. 1). Operating hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. while the facility is open; the splash pad is closed every Thursday for a full-day maintenance window. After Aug. 12 the splash pad will operate on weekends only. Staff estimated the city will devote roughly six to eight staff labor hours per day to opening, midday checks and closing procedures when the splash pad is in operation; weekly deep maintenance tasks — including cleaning UV lamps, clearing strainers and backwashing filters — are scheduled on Thursdays.
Norton explained staffing constraints: the Parks department has about 15 staff who cover citywide mowing, athletic fields, trails and facilities, and the department schedules the splash pad maintenance day on Thursday so crews can complete a thorough maintenance cycle before the weekend attendance surge.
Board members discussed whether to open earlier in May or to extend the season later into September. Norton said he had received only a small number of resident requests to open earlier; he recommended keeping the current calendar given crew workloads, the city’s consolidated schedule for fall programs, and the need for a full-day maintenance window. Norton and Phil said larger neighboring cities with dedicated aquatic staff (Lewisville, Flower Mound, Carrollton) operate longer seasons but have greater staff resources and separate aquatic teams.
Several board members proposed collecting usage data and documented inquiries to inform future decisions: staff agreed to flag calls and record splash pad-related requests in the department log so the board can assess demand at the end of this season. Norton and Phil said sponsorships, volunteer support or added seasonal staff could change feasibility, but those would require separate budgeting decisions.
Ending: The board did not change the 2025 schedule; staff will track calls and requests about the splash pad this season and report findings to the board for future consideration.
