Parks staff outline summer programs, splash-pad opening and playground replacements; board keeps pickleball lights at 10 p.m.

Parks and Recreation staff provided program and project updates in a work session after the board's regular agenda on April 13.

Julie, the parks and rec supervisor filling in for Janet, said the Wylie Rec Center's Easter Bunny brunch had 25 registered guests and approximately 60 attendees overall. She reminded the board that early-bird summer camp registration discounts end April 15 and that the department's summer kickoff is set for May 29 with activities, food trucks and volunteer opportunities.

Julie said staff are preparing for splash-pad season with an opening target of May 2 and a season that will run through Oct. 31. A board member noted that vendors (for example ice-cream sellers) sometimes appear at splash pads without permits; Julie said staff are working on a vendor-permit agreement to manage that activity.

On parks projects, a board member reported recent completions of the Pickleball and Pirate Cove projects and said construction documents are coming for parking at Community Park and Founders Park. The board was told two playgrounds will be replaced this year: one at Southbrook Park and the southern playground at Creekside Park; renderings will be shared with the board when available.

Board members also discussed pickleball-court lighting. Staff said closing the lights at 10 p.m. was chosen to align with nearby cities, though the board could consider later hours on Fridays and Saturdays if community demand increases. Separately, a member asked staff to inspect a blinking lightning-detector unit at Founders Park because its signal can be confused with the volleyball-court lights timing.

The board did not make new policy decisions during the work session but directed staff to follow up on vendor permitting, the lightning-detector inspection and to provide playground renderings and construction updates at future meetings.