Two local parks will receive new amenities after Southlake City Council approved a $11.6 million vendor and member agreement with GeoSurfaces.

What you need to know

The agreement will allow for the purchase and installation of synthetic turf, ballfield fencing and amenities at Bicentennial Park and Bob Jones Park, according to project details.

The fields set to receive turf and fencing improvements include:
  • Fields 5-7 at Bicentennial Park; turf only for Field 3
  • Softball fields 3-6 at Bob Jones Park
  • Turf only for multipurpose sports fields 4-6 at Bob Jones Park
Crews will also replace the existing concrete mow strip on the softball and baseball fields and add a new mow strip on the multipurpose fields, according to project details.

Funds will be reallocated from Southlake Parks Development Corp. Capital Improvements Program funds meant for the Southlake Sports Complex project.


The project aims to address the fields that have the most pressing needs, council member and SPDC President Randy Williamson said.

“This is a big investment, and we were able to learn by going through the interlocal process; we actually are able to get some degree of preferred pricing,” he said. “We’re getting an aggressive good price, and we're really utilizing our funds wisely.”

What else?

In addition to the improvements above, the project’s scope also includes the purchase of maintenance equipment and field enhancements, such as:
  • The purchase of three sports turf field sweepers
  • The purchase of four portable pitching mounds
  • Installation of city logos on each baseball and softball field
  • Windscreens and yellow capping on all newly installed fencing
Funding for the maintenance equipment and additional amenities is included as part of the agreement approval.


The backstory

Council identified synthetic turf enhancements to several fields at Bicentennial Park and Bob Jones Park as a priority capital improvement project during a June workshop.

Council also reallocated $11.6 million of approved SPDC CIP funds for the Southlake Sports Complex project to this project.

“We've had a lot of discussions through the youth sports task force and other groups ... about the turf fields allowing them to have more year-round activity and tournaments and less weather delays,” council member Shawn McCaskill said. “That’s kind of the reason we started looking into this years ago.”


Looking ahead

The installation of the synthetic turf is expected to take 120 days, weather permitting. Work is anticipated to begin in November, and the project’s planned completion date is March 2024.

Staff has met with representatives from local sports groups to discuss contingency plans in the event of a project delay.

“This is going to make a whole lot of families around Southlake very, very happy for years to come,” Mayor John Huffman said.