Plans for Lakeline Park Master Plan Phase 2 enhancements include an elevated canopy walk with outlooks over the creek and lake. (Courtesy city of Cedar Park)
Cedar Park officials approved plans April 23 for the next phase of development at Lakeline Park, including new amenities and priorities that will shape the future of the park. Highlights range from additional parking and restrooms to new trails, educational opportunities and an elevated walkway through the tree canopy.
Some context
The park first opened in March 2023. Phase 1 included a playground, 4 miles of paved trails, 10 acres of athletic fields, a large lawn and the lake.
However, the bond program approved by voters in 2022 also included funding for the design of Phase 2. The city hired design firm SWA Group to create a master plan for the park based on feedback from residents, city staff and elected officials. Of the $42 million bond funding allocated for parks and recreation, $2.8 million was spent on the first phase of park build-out. The specific budget for the second phase has not yet been determined, according to city staff.
City documents say the project aligns with officials' goal of promoting "livability and sense of place" through "recreation and cultural opportunities."
The planned improvements at Lakeline Park include new gathering spaces and educational opportunities. (Courtesy city of Cedar Park)
The plan
Landscape architect Scott McCready of SWA Group said firm had three main goals in building the plan:
Enhance existing amenities
Elevate nature
Expand access to the park and Muir Lake
McCready said some of the most common feedback his team received from residents throughout the public engagement process was that people wanted to feel more immersed in nature at Lakeline Park.
"We think of the park as what you experience on the north side today, but throughout there's an enormous amount of acreage that people don't actually get much access to, and we think that bringing people to those natural areas that are more hidden within the site can really elevate people's understanding of the importance [of] nature within the community," McCready said.
Zooming in
McCready said his team divided the park into five sections based on differences in the natural landscape and existing development.
"These essentially create almost five separate parks within this park," McCready said. "We want to amplify those experiences, we want to celebrate those differences, and really as we think about journeys through the park, there are reasons specifically to go to each of those to really make this park have a long-lasting sense of improvement and relevance to people exploring the park."
Landscape architects with design firm SWA Group divided Lakeline Park into five distinct sections as part of the planning process for improvements. (Courtesy city of Cedar Park)
Different enhancements are planned for each area in Phase 2:
Southern Meadows: Improvements for this area include an additional parking lot and restrooms, a disc golf course, a nature play area and an educational walking area.
Southern Woodlands: The most significant enhancement planned for this area is an elevated canopy walk with an outlook over the lake. Other plans include additional trails and an "interactive" kayak stop on the lake.
Cultural Lakefront Promenade: This is the most developed area of the existing park. Plans include a gathering space, deck and rebuilt pavilion along the lakefront, as well as increased shade and trail connections.
Health-Sports Loop: Additional restrooms near the soccer fields, a new "athletics social grove" and more trees are highlights of the improvements planned for this area. A line of new trees will provide a buffer between the park and the adjacent neighborhood.
Western Woodlands: New trails are planned for this area, including a further extension of the Brushy Creek Regional Trail.
Lakeline Park Master Plan Phase 2 includes significant extensions of the trail network throughout the park. (Courtesy city of Cedar Park)
What's next
The next step of the project will involve the detailed design and engineering of the improvements. Parks and Recreation Director Mike DeVito said staff will bring a design contract to City Council at a future date. Additionally, the pedestrian bridge over Bell Boulevard—which will connect Lakeline Park to the Brushy Creek Regional Trail and the Twin Lakes Family YMCA campus—is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.
