Nearly 80% of Plano residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, and officials said a large number of the 67 parks in the city are undergoing renovations at any given time. Current projects include renovations at Jack Carter Park, planning for updates at Haggard Park and many more.
The steady stream of construction is a necessity to keep Plano’s parks up to date, said Kelley Crimmins, Plano Parks and Recreation's community outreach specialist.
“We have to make sure that these parks and these trails can last our residents for another 20 or 25 years,” she said.
The overview
There are 39 active projects underway at Plano parks, and Plano Park Planning Manager Renee Jordan said more projects are always waiting in the wings. City officials increased the parks budget by nearly 6% for this fiscal year. Additionally, the total project budget for ongoing Plano park renovations is more than $54 million, according to city documents.
Jordan added that the city staggers improvement projects based on the age and condition of certain locations.
The parks and recreation master plan was updated last July. The plan determines the schedule for renovation projects and lays out areas for potential new parks.Some context
The consistent improvements are one aspect that has made Plano’s parks nationally acclaimed.
Plano’s Parks and Recreation Department earned the gold medal award in October from the National Recreation and Park Association, denoting it as the country’s top department for a city with a population of 150,001-400,000. The award recognizes departments for excellence in long-range planning and community engagement, among other factors.
Plano Mayor John Muns credits the accessibility of community and neighborhood parks as part of the reason Plano’s parks system is thought of so highly.
“There are some amazing places around the country with mountains and beaches, and yet, Plano won the Gold Medal Award,” he said. “Accessibility is really the main reason we have that reputation as a good parks system. For everyone to have a park nearby is a real accomplishment.”
The benefits of a flourishing parks system go beyond quality of life for Plano residents.
Hosting events, such as festivals and sports tournaments, helps to drive tourism in the city.
“We usually provide them with a great experience, and a lot of times they’ll come back,” Crimmins said.
Plano’s Director of Economic Development Doug McDonald added that the city’s parks can play a factor in helping to attract companies to the city.
“It plays a role in us talking about the quality of life,” he said. “We definitely talk about our No. 1 park system in the state of Texas.”
Jack Carter Park
The park features an outdoor pool, a dog park, soccer fields and sand volleyball courts.
- Estimated cost: $3.7 million
- Status: to be completed this summer
- What’s new: The final phase of renovations to Jack Carter Park will include improvements to athletic fields, lighting and irrigation, a new restroom building, extension of the park’s trail network, tree planting, and general site repair.
Haggard Park
Haggard Park is one of the next large community parks set for upgrades and renovations.
- Estimated cost: funding TBD
- Status: master plan to be finalized this summer
- Features: When funding is available, the renovations will emphasize the preservation of historical aspects in the park. Work will include enhancements to existing gateways as well as replacement of playground equipment, lights, the irrigation system and bathrooms.
Los Rios Park
Los Rios Park is a brand-new park in southeast Plano on 196 acres of land that features a large pond and Rowlett Creek.
- Estimated cost: $5.8 million (current phase)
- Status: to be completed late this year
- Features: The park will also feature a disc golf course, multiple playgrounds and basketball courts as well as approximately 2 miles of trails that connect to the city’s trail system.
Going forward
With major mixed-use developments such as Collin Creek, Haggard Farms and the Texas Research Quarter each including an open space component, there will be more parks added with new trails to connect them to the existing parks system in the city.
Jordan said future plans also include extending the trail system to connect with parks in Richardson, and providing residents with more places to play pickleball and cricket.
She added that maintaining the currently quality of existing parks remains the department’s top priority, and improvement projects won’t slow down even as new projects pick up.
“The most important thing that the department should be doing for the city of Plano is getting these park sites renovated,” Jordan said.
