Georgetown officials presented the updated design for Blue Hole Park at a Sept. 22 meeting.
With the project now at the 30% design phase, officials estimate the project construction will cost about $7 million, with features focused on flood resilience, natural preservation and visitor experience.
The update
The initial park design is very similar to the Blue Hole Park Master Plan, presented to council last fall, interim Parks and Recreation Director Eric Nuner said at the meeting. Many of the changes are reductions to development, he said.
"Some of that is due to what we learned last year in the July 2025 flood," Nuner said.
Key updates include:
Building terraced retaining walls along the north riverbank while preserving the existing trail passing underneath Austin Avenue to the low-water crossing
Eliminating proposed heavy maintenance ramps and simplifying bank terracing on the south riverbank
Building a native play area resilient to periodic high water with minimal maintenance requirements
Landscaping with drought-resistant native plants requiring minimal watering
To protect large heritage oak trees, the primary park entry off Rock Street was shifted to be shallower and wider. Entrance features include:
A dedicated drop-off zone for visitors carrying pool floats, lawn chairs and gear
Relocated restroom facilities positioned closer to the entry for visibility and convenience
Space allocated for a potential community retaining wall mural
Added security cameras and enhanced safety lighting along the main entryways and trails
What they're saying
During the design review, City Council members expressed support for the design reductions and asked staff to prioritize green park space over concrete parking.
"Overall, I like this design, and I'm pleased that we're moving toward having Blue Hole Park continue to be one of our real assets in the community with safety in mind," District 4 City Council member Ron Garland said.
Officials and park staff also discussed potential ordinance updates, including prohibiting portable grills and pop-up shade structures directly in or adjacent to the water, alongside scheduling earlier morning trash removal to reduce littering.
How we got here
Consulting firm Halff has worked with the city since September 2024 to prepare a development plan for Blue Hole Park, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
Almost 2,000 community members gave feedback from December 2024 to July 2025 on what they would like to see at Blue Hole Park.
Halff presented the Blue Hole Park Master Plan to City Council members in October 2025, and design kicked off in February.
What's next
City staff expect to finalize construction documents later this year, with state and federal regulatory permitting continuing through spring 2027. Construction bidding is scheduled for December 2027, with construction targeted for completion in early 2028.
