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Richardson’s upcoming bond will likely include $22.2 million in parks projects, including aquatic, playground and Breckinridge Park upgrades.
The gist
City Manager Don Magner laid out his final recommendations for the total $223 million bond at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting.
Magner recommended $11.5 million for aquatics projects and $5.7 million for 10 playground renovations.
Mayor Amir Omar suggested cutting four playgrounds built after 2009 from the bond, but Magner recommended all 10 renovations.
“There were four playgrounds that were right around the border in terms of timeline,” Magner said. “This takes away that uncertainty and includes all of the playground rebuilds to allow us to keep on our rhythm.”
Magner also recommended $5 million to develop a new pedestrian bridge and loop trail segment at Breckinridge Park, a continuation of the Breckinridge Strategic Improvement Plan.
A closer look
Magner’s recommended aquatics projects include replacing Cottonwood Pool with a sprayground, also called splash pad, renovating Canyon Creek Pool and adding a sprayground at Breckinridge Complex B.
The updates were originally laid out in the city’s Aquatics Master Plan, approved in January 2025.
"Being a contemporary, modern city, aquatics are important to offer our residents,” Magner said. “It’s something that adds to a healthy community and allows families to come together and exercise and recreate.”
Parks and Recreation Director Yvonne Falgout said that replacing aging pools with spraygrounds could increase functionality while decreasing maintenance costs.
Future aquatic developments could include an indoor pool among other citywide updates.
The approach
The proposed package does not include funding for several possible projects, including the second phase of Apollo Park construction, which is set to add soccer fields. The first phase was completed in 2024.
Council member Joe Corcoran said the city’s Parks and Recreation commission prefers funding for Apollo over Breckinridge Park.
Corcoran said some members suggested the soccer fields would provide citywide benefits, while the Breckinridge upgrades would offer a narrower benefit in the panhandle.
“But if we take that approach to every single bond program in perpetuity, then the infrastructure projects at Breckinridge will just never get done,” Corcoran said.
Mayor Pro Tem Ken Hutchenrider supported prioritizing the Breckinridge bridge over Apollo during a previous council meeting. The bridge would be the park’s second, with the first finished in 2012.
What’s next
Council is set to have discussions on specific propositions through the end of the year, with the final proposition discussion planned for January.
The last day to call a bond for the May 2 election is Feb. 9.
Projects that didn’t make the cut for the bond package, including Apollo Park and proposed pickleball courts at Point North Park, could be included in future bonds.
