January: Expanding Prosper’s parks
Construction began on Raymond Community Park shortly after the new year, and with it, Prosper residents will see a new wave of community park amenities.
The early phases of construction were delayed slightly due to rain but officially began the second week of January, Parks and Recreation Director Dan Baker said in an email.
The $19 million park is expected to be the town’s third largest at just over 67 acres once built, said Kurt Beilharz, project manager and assistant director for Prosper’s parks department.
February: When minutes matter: New Celina fire station to cut emergency response times; more expansion planned
Celina resident Troy Hammers said he will feel safer with the opening of Celina's newest fire station near his neighborhood.
Residents like Hammers, who live in the Sutton Fields development, will soon benefit from Fire Station No. 3 when it opens in late March off FM 1385. It will be the city’s first station west of Dallas Parkway and is just one part of the department’s expansion plans.
Hammers said he recently saw a minor car accident take place “a rock’s throw” from the new station.
“If I had a crystal ball, I would say by that fire station being here in Sutton Fields that at some point that's going to save someone’s life,” he said.
March: Paving new ground: Area growth drives need for $460M Dallas North Tollway extension through Prosper, Celina
The Dallas North Tollway expansion will nearly triple the number of lanes offered through Prosper and Celina once it is completed in 2028.
Nearly 60% of Celina residents work outside of the city, and the Dallas North Tollway expansion will bring them greater mobility, Celina Mayor Ryan Tubbs said. As Prosper and Celina see population growth, they also need more lanes to move people around. Prosper is expected to peak at 72,000 residents in the next two decades. Celina can reach 378,000 in the same time, U.S. Census data shows.
“It’s a big investment in Celina’s future on how we view regional mobility,” Tubbs said.
April: Revitalizing downtown: Prosper officials continue to focus efforts on redeveloping historic area
Prosper officials have turned their efforts to re-energizing the town’s historic downtown through events and business development.
In an effort to draw residents to the area, town officials created a Downtown Master Plan in 2022, which is now being implemented through a community-based advisory committee, Prosper Mayor David Bristol said. The master plan vision outlines revitalizing the area through fostering business growth while also investing public funds for redevelopment and community events. In recent months, new businesses have opened, and foot traffic has increased, according to town data.
"We want to drive foot traffic,” he said. “We want to do things to make it a destination.”
May: Celina government center to benefit residents, staff
Downtown Celina’s horizon will soon change with the city’s new government center.
The three-story government center will bring all of the city staff under one roof opposed to the separate buildings they have been using in recent years. Construction on the adjacent parking garage is slated to start this fall with the center construction to follow in 2026.
“The [government] center will change the skyline of downtown ... but council’s vision has been to keep that small town feel,” Celina Mayor Ryan Tubbs said. “Even though we are growing with new amenities, we just look at the government center and parking garage as an addition to downtown to enhance the services we offer.”
June: New Celina hospital to address ‘emergency care desert’
Celina residents will have health care options closer to home when Methodist Celina Medical Center—the city’s first hospital—opens in early 2025.
The hospital will be located at the corner of the future Dallas North Tollway and FM 428. Having a major hospital within the city limits will significantly reduce the time it takes to get residents to emergency care, Celina Fire Division Chief Justin Beamis said.
“I’ve been on an [Emergency Medical Services] transport where we did CPR for 45 minutes across the county to Baylor McKinney when it was the only hospital we can go to,” Beamis said. “To know that we have the level of care coming into Celina that Methodist is going to give is a huge benefit for the community.”
July: Prosper Arts district aims for 2024 groundbreaking
With plans to build a retail village, office space, multifamily and some of Prosper's first hotels, the Prosper Arts District is a true mixed-use development, Prosper Development Services Director David Hoover said.
"If this proceeds the way that we're headed right now, I think this will wind up being one of the better developments that I've had the opportunity to be associated with," he said.
Located at the northwest corner of Prosper Trail and Dallas Parkway, the 35-acre development was approved 5-1 by Prosper Town Council members during a June 11 meeting. Construction is expected to start before the end of 2024 and, when finished, will establish itself as a new regional destination.
"I'm really looking forward to it," Hoover said.
August: Scoring sales: Celina, Prosper businesses, local officials anticipate sales tax spike as sports seasons kick off this fall
Football season for Celina and Prosper ISDs started in late August, and with it, a wave of spending is expected as merchandise stores and local restaurants experience increased foot traffic.
Atomic T-Shirts & Signs in Celina sees an influx of sales around the end of summer and early fall, owner Jim Scano said. Scano, who serves as vice chair of the Celina Chamber of Commerce, said his store experiences a surge in orders from CISD organizations, such as band, cheer and the PTA.
“Sports in general have a significant positive impact on local communities, not just here in Celina,” Scano said in an email. “Local businesses, such as restaurants, retail and production companies, such as ours, feel it economically, while local sports ... enhance community pride and cohesion.”
September: Celina ISD faces soaring student enrollment
Tommie Dobie Bothwell Elementary School welcomed its first group of students in August. It’s the first in a wave of upcoming schools for the district.
Located in the Cambridge Crossing neighborhood, Bothwell Elementary is Celina ISD’s fourth elementary school. The new campus will soon be followed by CISD’s fifth elementary school expected in fall 2025 and its second middle school in fall 2026. Even more campuses, including future high schools, are on the horizon with bond conversations starting as the district sees fast growth that mirrors the city.
Bothwell Elementary Principal Kristen Aune said opening a new school is filled with high energy as staff work together for the first time with students and parents.
“We’re doing everything to make sure that students are safe and learning, but there’s so much excitement to that,” Aune said.
October: Room to grow: Celina, Prosper plan for future public safety needs
As the populations of Prosper and Celina continue to climb, so have the calls for emergency services.
Increased budgets for both communities are projected to ease those growing pains while planning for the future expansion of public safety services, officials said.
Celina’s first responders typically see a 10-20% uptick in emergency calls every year, said Justin Beamis, Celina Fire Department’s division chief of training and logistics. Celina’s population is projected to jump by 11,000 people in the next year, according to budget documents.
“With growth comes calls,” Beamis said.
Prosper is experiencing a similar increase. Prosper Fire Chief Stuart Blasingame said the fire department has seen an additional 2,000 calls over the last year, or a roughly 8% increase.
November: Bypass process begins: Businesses close, see changes as US 380 land acquisitions begin
As the Texas Department of Transportation makes progress on projects along US 380 in Collin and Denton counties, businesses along the roadway have begun to feel the effects of construction.
So far, three businesses have closed in a McKinney shopping center at the northwest corner of University Drive and Walnut Grove Road—Jason’s Deli, White Rhino Coffee and 3Natives, all citing right-of-way acquisitions for the US 380 bypass.
Nhi Pham, optometrist and owner at Eyedeal Eyecare in Prosper, said her business has slowed down since construction began.
“Who wants to deal with the traffic, right?” Pham said. “Who wants to deal with finding a way into the shopping center?”
December: Stretched supply causes local water rates to rise
Water rates in Prosper increased Oct. 15 for the first time since 2019.
The increasing rates are driven by the North Texas Municipal Water District, a regional water provider that sells to more than 45 municipalities and utility districts in the area.
Prosper residents are not alone, as Dallas, Garland, Richardson, Plano and other area cities are also seeing water rate increases roll out in late 2024.
Prosper’s rate increase, which was finalized Oct. 15, was its first since 2019. Town officials have been trying to absorb additional costs to keep water rates steady while encouraging residents to be mindful of their water usage, Prosper Finance Director Chris Landrum said.
