The center closed Jan. 7 for major renovations that will last until December.
City Manager Mark Israelson previously told Plano City Council the Muehlenbeck center is one of the city’s most popular recreation center, and the renovations will allow the city to keep up “a standard of excellence” residents expect.
Plano’s Parks Planning Manager Renee Jordan said the city aims to renovate each recreation facility every 17-20 years.
She added that once Tom Muehlenbeck is complete, the city will be “caught up.” The other four centers have received major renovations in the last six years.
Susie Hergenrader, Plano’s Park and Recreation Assistant Director, said residents have told city staff it is important to maintain the city’s existing infrastructure, including recreation facilities.
“We make it a priority to invest dollars in maintaining our facilities, keeping them updated in all aspects in regards to [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliance, the latest technology and equipment and make these enjoyable places to workout and frequent,” Hergenrader said.
What’s happening
Renovations to the Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center include:
- New pool play structures and decking
- Resurfaced track and gym floor
- New fitness equipment and locker rooms
- Technology enhancements
- Improved irrigation and landscaping
- Sidewalk replacements, and more facility updates
The project is funded by a $15.9 million bond, which 55% of voters passed in 2021. Hergenrader said it is common for projects to go several years before they are started.
The big picture
While the Carpenter Park Recreation Center sees higher annual attendance, Hergenrader said that Tom Muehlenbeck is the city’s highest attended for programming and classes.
“A lot of people come not only to use the facility but to take classes,” she said.
The Oak Park Recreation Center sees about 400,000 users, Hergenrader said, while Liberty Recreation Center and Sam Johnson Recreation Center are smaller and therefore have fewer users.
Hergenrader said while renovations are underway, several popular programs offered at Muehlenbeck will be offered at other facilities when space is available. Additionally, the hours of operations at the Plano Aquatics Center have been expanded to accommodate lap swimming.
For those who enjoy open play activities such as volleyball and pickleball, every other recreation center has expanded hours as well, Hergenrader said, adding that a Plano Parks and Recreation membership is good at any Plano facility.
During a presentation to Plano City Council, Facilities Manager Paul Kunze said staff decided to close the center during renovations because it would be more costly and less safe to have construction crews working around patrons.
Kunze added that staff considered ways to move the construction start up so the center would reopen for the summer months, but long lead times for some aquatic features and HVAC equipment made that an impossibility. Pushing the renovations back to the fall could result in higher prices, he said.
What’s next
The center is expected to reopen in December, and Hergenrader said attendees will return to a “more pleasant” experience.
While the city will be caught up on recreation projects, several park projects are ongoing or planned for the future.
Ongoing projects include improvements at Bruce Glasscock Park and Jack Carter Park, both funded by the city’s 2021 bond. Crews are also renovating facilities at several other parks, and adding shade structures to the Bob Woodruff South Dog Park.
As work finishes on 2021 bond projects, Plano is proposing a 2025 bond, which residents could see on their May ballot.
The proposed bond would allocate $51.6 million for parks projects. That would include $10 million for Hall Park, a new 38-acre city park planned for the corner of Alma Drive and West Park Boulevard.
The city would also spend $20 million on the bond funds on land acquisitions for new city parkland, including $15 million set aside for a park at Lavon Farms, which is set to become a mixed-use development as part of Plano’s Envision Oak Point plan.
There are also plans for a new park called Mendomi Park at the former JCPenney headquarters, which will become a 107-acre mixed-use development.
