Kennedale council approves $19,000 design and survey for Sonora Park ballfield project

The Kennedale City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 18 to fund a $19,000 preliminary study — including a land survey and schematic design — for Sonora Park ballfields as the city advances a voter-approved $3 million bond project.

The study was described by Alan Huckaby of Callahan & Freeman Architects as a revisit and refinement of a 2019 concept: convert the large main baseball field into two youth soccer fields, refurbish the smaller baseball/softball field, and position a new concession/restroom building as the park’s “front door.” Huckaby said the proposal includes a professional land survey to assess grades, drainage and utility locations that were not completed in 2019.

City Manager Hall and council members discussed alternatives during a lengthy Q&A. Critics on the council questioned re-buying work done in 2019 and whether earlier design files and contour data could be reused; staff and the architect said earlier contours were derived from internet sources and that a current survey is needed to verify drainage, elevations and sewer lift requirements before final design.

Council members also raised practical concerns: limited parking at Sonora Park, potential need for a lift station to serve restrooms if the building is moved closer to the parking area, theft and maintenance vulnerabilities at the site, and whether to design larger fields that could be reconfigured in the future if YMCA negotiations or other partnerships fall through.

City staff framed the study as a phased approach: the $19,000 package covers survey and initial design tasks (survey approximately $10,500; design management and follow-up about $7,500, as discussed on the record). The study will inform whether the city can proceed with construction under the existing bond allocation or needs additional funding. Staff said an RFP/RFQ for construction would run in parallel so work can begin as early as summer if the plan is executable.

The motion to approve funding for Callahan & Freeman’s preliminary study was made, seconded and passed unanimously. The council directed staff to proceed with the survey and return with the study results and recommendations for next steps.

The study does not itself authorize construction. Any later construction, phasing, or decisions about acquiring adjacent parcels will require separate council action and environmental/utility reviews.

What happens next: staff said the survey and schematic work would take a few months; council members indicated a desire to preserve options for future field sizes and to include considerations for irrigation, cameras and infrastructure that would reduce long-term maintenance burdens.