Parks capital projects update: Bluebonnet trail repairs complete; LED retrofit, playground and park improvements moving forward

Parks staff provided a multi‑project capital improvement update on March 6 covering trail repairs, lighting, park construction and several playground replacements across Flower Mound.

Completed work and upcoming installations • Bluebonnet Park: Staff reported that trail repairs and concrete work were completed in late February; a few panels that were vandalized were replaced by the contractor. • LED retrofit at Jerome and Wilkerson parks: The town is awaiting equipment shipments; staff expects Jerome equipment to arrive March 24 and Wilkerson equipment March 30. A total of 181 LED luminaires and 28 parking lot fixtures will be replaced, with installation estimated to take four to six weeks after equipment arrival.

Peter’s Colony Memorial Park and construction issues • Peter’s Colony Memorial Park is under construction; crews are replacing the sidewalk along Old Settlers Road and have formed the pavilion foundation and begun playground excavation. Staff said weather and wet conditions have slowed some activities. • Water‑feature piers: A consultant who completed the geotechnical report raised concerns about how the piers for the planned water wall were designed; staff said they are holding off on pier work until the design is confirmed to avoid rework before pouring concrete.

Playground and park amenity schedules • Rustic Timbers Park: Replacement playground equipment was scheduled to ship on March 17; removal of the existing equipment was planned to begin March 22 with installation taking roughly four to six weeks and an anticipated mid‑to‑late April opening. • Spring Lake Park: Concrete trail repairs are underway and new benches, picnic tables and trash cans have arrived; a new gazebo is expected to ship in early April and staff hopes to complete park work by early May.

Design and planning items • Leonard and Helen Johns Park: Staff said the master plan concept will return next month for a Parks Board work session; staff is coordinating 3‑D renderings and hydraulic analysis to confirm locations for tennis courts and restroom facilities and to avoid impacts to the floodplain. • North Shore Park playground: Staff presented two playground concepts (jungle and pirate ship); the neighborhood favored the jungle theme but requested a more natural color palette and additional shade. A significant contingent of residents requested artificial turf surfacing instead of wood‑fiber surfacing; staff said that turf would require additional funding and they are evaluating whether to include turf now or defer that work to the next fiscal year. • Trotter Park: Design work continues on a master plan approved last year, with staff prioritizing accessibility, parking options and septic/sewer calculations for restrooms in an unsewered location. Staff aims to finalize design documents by mid‑summer and advertise for construction bids by year end.

Why it matters: The update provides timelines and constraints for multiple parks projects that will affect facility availability and programmed activities in the coming months. Staff highlighted geotechnical review and funding choices (for example, turf at North Shore) as items that could change project scope or schedule.

What’s next: Staff will return with Leonard and Helen Johns Park master plan materials next month and will continue to provide schedule updates for construction projects and playground installations.