Georgetown council weighs two Blue Hole Park master-plan concepts, favors Concept A with changes

City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation staff and consultants presented two conceptual master plans for Blue Hole Park at a council workshop, saying the designs respond to community input collected in an open house and a 745‑person online survey.

Kimberly Garrett, Georgetown’s Parks and Recreation director, said the project team held an open house Dec. 11 at the San Gabriel Community Center and ran the survey for nearly a month. Aaron Cooper, project manager for HAP Associates, said the team is producing a master plan with illustrations, 3‑D renderings, cost estimates and phase recommendations to help the city implement improvements as funding becomes available.

The plans attempt to balance recreation and restoration on a park site with steep slopes and floodplain constraints. "Restoration and protection is number 1," Cooper told the council, summarizing survey results that ranked passive uses (birding, open space and pavilions) and environmental protection above adding new active features.

Concept A emphasizes a San Gabriel Trail connection down to the water with an accessible route around the cemetery, reinforced bank edges and terraced lawns near the river. It includes a relocated restroom near the end of South Rock Street, a large picnic area, a two‑way…