Flower Mound parks board reviews five-year parks CIP, highlights CAC renovation and new trails

At a March 5 work session the Flower Mound Parks and Recreation Board reviewed proposed capital projects and funding for fiscal years 2027–2031, including a bond-funded renovation of the Community Activity Center (CAC), several trail extensions and upgrades, and phased improvements to sports fields.

Staff outlined three funding buckets that will be used across projects: bond proceeds, 4B tax revenues, and park development funds. The board discussed staying within the allocations shown to voters while shifting smaller amounts between projects as costs and bids become clearer. "We're trying to stay generally within that budget so that we can get all these projects done," a staff member said.

Key projects highlighted by staff included completing Shadow Ridge trail phase 2 (about 95% complete), trail extensions along 407 and 2499, and Kirkpatrick segments; a planned CAC renovation being advanced through bond funding; and Bakersfield Park improvements that may convert additional fields to synthetic turf in phased construction. Staff said some trail segments are wrapping up while others remain in design and will go to bid in coming months.

The board also saw preliminary designs and schedules for small-park improvements: Post Oak Park (playground, restroom, trail work), Trotter Park (pending pedestrian easements), Amy Lane pond bathymetric surveying, and upgrades at Colony Park (trail replacement, accessibility fixes, and a new basketball court). John, the park development presenter, noted that a bid package for Chinn Chapel's multipurpose-field conversion is targeted for late April with construction possibly beginning later in the year.

On longer-range items, staff described the Wyvern Farms park (construction funding shown at $2,000,000 in later years), Little Bluestem Park at Oak Bridge Crossing and other master-planned sites. Board members asked about project prioritization, grant opportunities and the risk that rising costs could push projects later in the five-year plan. "We're saving some money there because I know we're going to need it somewhere else," staff said, describing favorable pricing on a contractor contract for one trail segment.

The board discussed operations-and-maintenance (O&M) impacts and the town's plan to use bond proceeds to relieve some 4B funding so the 4B funds can support O&M. Staff said final funding and phasing decisions will return for approval: the board will review the first-year projects again on April 9 and those first-year items will move through public hearings and to council for budget adoption in September.

The work session concluded with staff asking for additional board feedback on priorities and with reminders that the parks and recreation master plan will further shape later-year project lists.