On Aug. 10, Blake Coleman with TBG Partners, a firm the city hired to design the incoming Bay Colony Park, presented to City Council the firm’s plan for the site, which totaled an estimated $38 million.
According to the original plan, the 109-acre parcel on the southwest corner of Calder Road and Ervin Street would include five softball fields, four baseball fields, two international-sized soccer fields on which football could also be played, six tennis courts, a disc golf course, playgrounds, a pavilion, bathrooms and a concession stand.
Council members balked at the price, saying the cost was far too high and the number of fields too low.
On Sept. 14, Coleman presented a stripped-down version of the park that included the baseball and softball fields but cut most other features at an estimated cost of $21 million. However, council members agreed the $21 million version of the park did not include enough amenities.
Council Members Chad Tressler and Hank Dugie both said at least the pickleball courts needed to be added back. Dugie went through an itemized list of the possible amenities and voiced which ones he wanted to include, such as one playground, batting cages and a pavilion.
Council Member Nick Long said Dugie’s list totaled about $32 million, which is still too much.
Mayor Pat Hallisey expressed disappointment that the $21 million park still did not include more fields. Residents have been asking for more sports fields in League City for years.
“I’m not sure that $21 million doesn’t create some level of sticker shock,” Hallisey said of the new park plan. “There’s just not enough fields.”
City officials will continue to hash out the details on what the final park will include in the coming weeks.
“We’ll get there,” Hallisey said.
In other business
League City City Council on Sept. 14 with no discussion also adopted the fiscal year 2021-22 budget with only Council Member Larry Millican opposed. Council also adopted a property tax rate of $0.465526 per $100 valuation, again with only Millican opposed.
