With the Pilot Knoll project, the city is looking to turn the park into a camping destination with the installation of 16 new cabins—three of which will be houses at tree level—along with other upgrades, such as a new boat dock and a new gate house.
“It’s been a couple years worth of work, and we’re almost at the end of the tunnel,” Parks and Recreation Director Phil Lozano said. “Things are going to start progressing forward, especially with construction and design, and things like that. So we’re pretty excited.”
The idea to add cabins at Pilot Knoll came about with the rise of “glamping” during the height of the COVID19 pandemic, according to Lozano.
Glamping is considered glamorous camping, which includes extra amenities usually not associated with traditional camping.
“As a result of COVID[-19], there were a lot of people who wanted to get out of the house and do some traveling but maybe didn’t want to get involved with flying on an airplane or the requirements for mass travel,” Mayor Daniel Jaworski said.
“They would do smaller-scale vacations where they get in the car, or an RV, and go travel to a park and take in some nature.”
Jaworski said Highland Village’s location on Lewisville Lake makes it well-equipped as a camping destination, and he expects it could be a major moneymaker for the city.
“The cabins get us into the business of bringing guests in from out of town,” Jaworski said. “They’re going to stock up on groceries; they’re going to want to entertain themselves; they’re going to go out to dinner, and they’re gonna do all those things in Highland Village.”
Lozano added that updating the city’s parks and recreation master plan was “needed to tee [Highland Village] up for grants” that would help fund the project he estimates will cost around $3 million.
The city applied for a $750,000 grant from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation in July 2022 and should hear back in January.
Lozano also expects the city to finalize an agreement with a contractor to handle the design process in January. The design process could take four-six months to complete, at which point construction could begin.
Jaworski is con dent the project will be a success.
“This idea has just taken off, and we are really confident that this is going to be a home run for our city and our residents,” he said.
Editor’s note: The article has been updated to correct when design for the Pilot Knoll project will begin.
