Park committee recommends soccer field, splash pad and obstacle-course playground at Hunters Brook; Marsh Hollow to get dog run and nature play

The Park & Recreation Committee voted Oct. 20 to recommend a package of amenities for two planned neighborhood parks in the City of Victoria, prioritizing a mix of active recreation and neighborhood-scale features while flagging parking and safety as key constraints.

The committee’s motion — which passed by voice vote — asks City Council to develop Hunters Brook Park with a soccer/multiuse field, a splash pad, an obstacle-course playground, a restroom and a larger parking lot; Marsh Hollow Park would receive a dog run, a nature-oriented playground (including hammock features) and parking, with a basketball court to be sited where it best fits. Chair (meeting facilitator) made the motion and it was seconded and carried.

The recommendation follows a staff presentation of public engagement results. “We received a record, 620 responses,” Jenna Smith, parks staff, told the committee, citing the June 4–Sept. 30 survey and two in-person engagement events. The survey showed strong interest in fields, playgrounds and water features; staff also reported that nearly half of respondents (48.7%) identified themselves as residents and that 38% live within a half-mile of Hunters Brook.

A member of the public who attended the meeting, Blake Farber, said neighbors are eager for a nearby park. “Me and all of my neighbors, are just very excited about a new potential park that's going in near Brookmore, near Holy Family,” Farber said, adding he was there to learn about the process and timeline for construction.

Committee members debated trade-offs among competing priorities. Several members worried that locating a soccer field at Marsh Hollow would place games and spectator parking too close to private backyards; staff said Hunters Brook is more separated from residences and therefore better suited to a larger field. Staff also noted that existing field scheduling is close to capacity, which drives demand for additional field space.

The committee discussed the scope and scale of a splash pad, with staff noting these features can be designed for either destination-scale use or to fit a neighborhood park footprint. Jenna Smith said there are water stubs at both sites, meaning a splash pad would be technically feasible if funding and council direction permit.

Members also raised site-access and safety issues, including the need for adequate parking and, at Hunters Brook, consideration of fencing along the road to keep children from running into traffic. Staff confirmed that a parking lot was included in the site design and that street parking and expansion of the lot are possible.

The committee flagged the privately proposed "Athlete’s Village" (also referenced as 'Pitch to Pitch') as a potential influence on future needs. One committee member described public information that the private project might include multiple premier baseball fields and indoor domes and could open as early as 2027; staff replied that a sketch plat has been prepared publicly but has not been approved by City Council and that the development remains a private, for‑profit proposal.

Next steps: the committee’s recommendation will be shared with City Council as part of a November workshop on capital improvement projects (CIP). Staff said, if Council approves the recommended direction, the city would move into engineering and schematic design with landscape architects and engineers and return to the committee with more-detailed options and neighborhood design choices.

Votes and procedural outcome: The committee’s motion to forward the recommended amenities to City Council was seconded and carried by voice vote; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the public transcript. The meeting adjourned after the recommendation was approved.

Clarifying details: the public park-development survey was open June 4–Sept. 30 and drew 620 responses; survey demographics reported by staff included 48.7% residents, 43.3% neighboring community respondents and 5.9% from farther afield; 38% of respondents live within a half mile of Hunters Brook and 28.1% within a half mile of Marsh Hollow.

The committee emphasized that final design scope, phasing and funding depend on City Council direction and CIP approvals; staff noted portable restrooms can be used seasonally if permanent plumbing is delayed.

(Reporting based on the Park & Recreation Committee meeting transcript, Oct. 20, 2025.)