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Richardson parks officials are planning trail improvements, security lighting upgrades and street median landscaping as part of the city’s parks work plan next year.
The overview
Shohn Rodgers, assistant director of parks and recreation, presented the department’s $665,000 work plan for fiscal year 2026-27 to City Council on June 22.
The parks department covers Richardson’s 42 parks, 93 miles of trails, 31 playgrounds and other outdoor facilities, including road medians and bridges.
City staff conduct an annual asset assessment on playgrounds, pavilions, landscaping and other park structures, scoring each on safety, age, structural soundness, utility and appearance. Rodgers said the scores help staff prioritize projects during budget planning and identify which facilities need work.
What to expect
Rodgers said staff are planning trail renovations and repairs at Breckinridge Park and Campbell Ridge Park. At Breckinridge Park, the work will focus on "C" Complex to address grade issues, cracks and trip hazards in the trail. At Campbell Ridge Park, staff plan to replace cracked and uneven concrete panels, Rodgers said.
Breckinridge Park "B" restroom is also set to receive hardware and fixture repair and replacement, as well as paint and foundation work.
The parks department also plans landscaping work on medians on Plano Road and Jupiter Road.
“Median landscaping is something we like to do every year in the parks maintenance fund to start sprucing up some of these older landscape nodes throughout the city,” Rodgers said. “It looks a little faded, looks a little dated, so we’d like to spruce that up.”
Groundwater drainage has also created unsafe conditions on Synergy Lakes Trail, Rodgers said, so the city plans to install concrete boardwalks in strategic sections of the trail to allow trail users to avoid the water.
Additional planned projects include adding security lighting at Richardson Woman’s Club, installing a new fountain at Duck Creek Linear Park and replacing tennis court fences at Heights Park.
Also of note
Rodgers also provided updates on projects from fiscal year 2025-26. Completed projects include:
Another thing
Additional projects that could be included in next year’s work plan could come from the city’s Matching Fund Beautification Program. Citizens, businesses, civic groups and homeowners associations can partner with the city to improve landscaping on public property.
The city matches 100% of the partner group’s funds and maintains the landscape after completion. Projects can include work on parks, medians and neighborhood entry points, Rodgers said.
The city will consider six requests from neighborhood associations and a garden club for inclusion in next year’s program.
What’s next
Parks staff will begin in-depth project planning as the work plan is finalized this summer during budget development.
