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Park Improvements
Parks and Recreations' Parks Master Plan was adopted by City Council on February 8, 2022. Parks and Recreations' Parks Master Plan is comprised of near- and long-term strategies for growing and sustainable maintenance of the park system, including a focus on both innovative and incremental improvement, public health and fiscal sustainability. This process started officially in December of 2020 and fourteen months later we have an approved Parks Master Plan.
The Parks Master Plan could not have been completed without citizens. Parks and Recreation engagement within our community snapshot:
- 5 Park Master Plan Work Group Meetings (comprised of citizens from 8 local organizations)
- 2 Youth Advisory Commission Meetings
- 5 Focus Group Meetings (Youth, Senior, Trails & Runners, Parkland Dedication, Culture Groups, and Adults & Youth Sports)
- 3 Community Meetings
- 575 Survey Respondents from 13 Online Surveys
- 175 Love Your Park Day volunteers
- 200 Movies in Your Park attendees
Staff will gauge the success of the Parks Master Plan by:
- Solidifying and adopting the parkland dedication ordinance
- Utilize the Operating and Maintenance plans as it relates to each community park to include application within park system for all parks
- Continue to create and establish park usage agreement with KISD to expand park acreage within park system
- Utilize the parks condition assessment to build on replacement cycles through each budget year
- Start to establish grow zones within our park system
- Launch YAC Park Ambassador program
- Continue park improvements
- Host bi-annual “Love Your Park Day” series
- People in our parks
Watch our video to learn more about the parks master plan
CURRENT PARK IMPROVEMENTS
Parks and Recreation was awarded $4,658,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in FY 22. These monies were designated for parks located in lower income neighborhoods.
Long Branch Park, $500,000
- New restroom
- Install solar lights at the Splash Pad
- Splash Pad renovations to include shade and new water features
- Drinking fountains
Long Branch Pool, $590,000
- Renovate pool house
- Place sun-deck material on concrete deck
Conder Park, $1,918,000
Gap Sidewalks, $600,000
- Installing sidewalks at various parks to increase accessibility
Stewart Park, $600,000
- New playground and canopy
- Picnic tables
- Multi-purpose field created
- Walking trail
- Field renovation
- Drinking fountains
Phyllis Park, $300,000
- Resurface basketball court and install new goals
- Multi-purpose field renovation
- Shade canopy added
- Drinking fountains
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
As park improvements begin sections of our parks will be closed temporarily. See current timeline below.
CONDER PARK – FIELD LIGHTS (Completed)
City Council approved $184,750.00 on March 8, 2022. The new LED field lights will consist of four 70 ft. galvanized steel poles with 16 luminaries. The lights have BallTracker technology, optimizing visibility of the ball in play. In addition, the LED lights have a 25 year warranty program that will eliminate 100% of maintenance costs for 25 years.
Construction will begin June 8, 2022 and is expected to be completed by August 8, 2022. This is an active construction sight and ask the public to stay off the fields and maintain a safe distance of this area while enjoying the park.
Work was completed August 8, 2022
CONDER PARK - FIELD RENOVATIONS
City Council approved $248,862.00 on March 22, 2022 to renovate the open space at Conder Park. This project includes grading, irrigation installation, sandy loam top layer, and sod. The length of this project is due to the time needed for the sod to become established with the earth providing a quality field for our residents to use. Stay off the fields as it is an active construction site.
Estimated construction September 26 - November 30, 2022
Conder Park – Restrooms
Construction September 20, 2022
City Council approved $203,811.60 on February 8, 2022, to install a new ADA compliant restroom. The pre-cast restroom will be vandal resistant, auto locking doors, and water fountain.
Use caution near the sports fields as staff is prepping the site for new restrooms. This includes installing plumbing and electric.
Conder Park – Skate Park 
City Council approved $303,000 on June 14, 2022 to renovate the skate park at Conder Park. The skate park design was created by the Conder Skate Park Workgroup which consisted of users of the skate park. With their input and knowledge, the City will have an all level family friendly concrete skate park for all to use.
Estimated Construction November 2022 - January 2023
View Skate Park Design Survey Results (PDF)
Long Branch Park – Restrooms
Construction September 20, 2022
City Council approved $203,811.60 on February 8, 2022, to install a new ADA compliant restroom. The pre-cast restroom will be vandal resistant, auto locking doors, and water fountain.
Use caution near the Splash Pad area as staff is prepping the site for new restrooms. This includes installing plumbing and electric.
LONG BRANCH PARK – SPLASH PAD RENOVATIONS
Estimated Construction November - December 2022
City Council approved $143,738.75 on June 28, 2022 to renovate the Junior Service League Splash Pad. This includes new splash elements, resurfacing the splash pad and adding shade structures.
PHYLLIS PARK – FIELD RENOVATIONS
Construction: July 27 – October 2022
City Council approved $135,888.5 on March 22, 2022 to renovate the open space at Phyllis Park. This project includes grading, irrigation installation, sandy loam top layer, and sod. The length of this project is due to the time needed for the sod to become established with the earth providing a quality field for our residents to use. Stay off the fields as it is an active construction site.
STEWART PARK - FIELD RENOVATIONS
Construction August 25 - October 2022
City Council approved $160,221.00 on March 22, 2022 to renovate the open space at Stewart Park. This project includes grading, irrigation installation, sandy loam top layer, and sod. The length of this project is due to the time needed for the sod to become established with the earth providing a quality field for our residents to use. Stay off the fields as it is an active construction site.
STEWART PARK - PLAYGROUND
Construction September 26 – November 18, 2022
City Council approved $293,470 on June 28, 2022 to renovate the playground at Stewart Park. The new playground will feature a unit designed for ages 5 – 12 and an additional unit for ages 2 – 5, shade covering, 3 benches, and pour in place surface.
Conder Park – Parking Lot (Completed)
City Council approved $214,592.90 on January 25, 2022 to update all the parking lots at Conder Park, to include milling, overlay, curb stops, and striping.
Work was completed March 29, 2022
Lions Club Park - New Canopy (Completed)
The new canopies at Lions Club Park have been completed.
Lions Club Park - New Quad Climber (Completed)
GROW ZONES
An item that came out of the Parks Master Plan were methods to decrease maintenance and allowing staff to spend more time in our parks doing other maintenance projects. We will begin implementing Grow Zones within our parks system, starting with Lions Club Park.
Staff currently mows all of our parks curb to curb, meaning we mow and edge the entire park at 1.5-2.5” in height. When looking at Lions Club Park, we currently mow all 68 acres. Through the “Grow Zone” application we will aim to reduce this from 68 acres of mowing to 50.5 acres, by creating a 17.3 acre “Grow Zone”, within the park, broken up all over the park. March of 2022 RS will begin designating 8 acres as “Grow Zones” and continue to establish areas until we meet our established goal. We will be planting native wildflower seeds and flowing trees to beautify these areas, and including signage to designate the Grow Zones, which will briefly explain the concept. Grow Zones will follow city ordinance and be mowed two times a year.
Grow Zones will cut down on expenses and labor hours associated with mowing curb to curb, that will now be allocated towards maintaining all of our 23 parks.
CDBG PARK IMPROVEMENTS
RS applied and was awarded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in 2020 as part of an effort to restore and replace several park amenities within these parks. This project will take place concurrent to the ARPA projects. RS has allocated $1,053,190.35 for these parks within the next FY.
Conder Park – ($753,190.35)
- Playground
- Parking lot lights
- Drinking fountain(s)
- Replacing existing crushed granite trail with concrete
- New restroom
- Shade canopy over playground
- Tile or pour n play surface within new playground
- Basketball court re-surface
- New basketball hoops
- Drinking fountains (2)
- Park benches
- Grill
- Trash receptacles
- Picnic tables (4)
AA Lane Park – ($300,000.00)
- Basketball court re-construction
- Adding sitting area to north of court
- Fencing
- Pavilion structure
- Playground
- Parking lot lights
- Shade canopy over playground
- Tile or pour n play surface within new playground
- Drinking fountains (2)
- Park benches
- Grill
- Trash receptacles
- Limestone blocks
Conder and AA Lane Park Drainage Improvements: Funding for this project is $589,885
The design to the construction of these projects is close to 100% design. Hopeful to bid construction out in May 2022, with construction starting in July 2022. This project is set to take no longer than (6) months to complete.
- New pedestrian bridge
- Clean out of drainage areas within parks
- Cleaning out and fortifying inlets and outlets
Bob Gilmore Center
Funding for this project is from the Governmental CIP Fund and CDBG in the total amount of $5,840,734.00. Construction will begin on July 6, 2022 and is expected to be completed in July 2023 with the ribbon cutting ceremony soon after.
Demolition of the Bob Gilmore Senior Center was completed on April 1, 2022. The new construction will begin this summer. For more information on the New Senior Center Plans, please visit: https://www.killeentexas.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5323/01132022-Senior-Center-Town-Hall-PDF
CIP PARK IMPROVEMENTS
RS received $200,000 for canopy covers and $225,000 for trail lights in FY21. These funds were used to install 11 canopies and solar LED lights at Killeen-Ft. Hood Regional Trail, Mickey’s Dog Park, and Conder Park.