New parks set tone for summer months

New parks set tone for summer months

Written by Mark Collins Monday, 24 March 2008

As brisk winter mornings give way to warm spring evenings, and children begin staring out the school windows, Cedar Park and Leander prepare for the summer vacation months with new pools, BMX tracks and hike-and-bike trails galor

Veterans Memorial Park

The Cedar Park Parks and Recreation Department has been busy completing Veterans Memorial Park.

The 48-acre community park was purchased in 2005 with $1.4 million from 2001 general obligation bonds. The park is located near the intersection of Whitestone Boulevard and the future New Hope Road extension.

Phase one of Veterans Memorial Park includes Cedar Park’s largest public pool. With 8,500 sq. ft. of water surface area the pool is slightly larger than Milburn Pool. The most notable difference, however, will be the amount of deck space, which is approximately twice the size of Milburn Pool and includes 10 shaded structures available for rent.

“A neat part of this pool is how much deck space we have with shaded pavilions and umbrellas,” Cedar Park Parks and Recreation Director Curt Randa said.

The water area also includes a large zero-depth area and water playscape for small children, a 3 to 4-foot area for older children with water basketball and a crossing activity and two lanes to accommodate lap swimmers. A large diving platform will also be installed.

The pool is slated for a soft opening Memorial Day weekend. The aquatic park will be open only on the weekends until school is out, when the park will be functioning seven days a week.

Veterans Memorial Pool is the first community pool in the northwest quadrant of Cedar Park, and it will host swimming lessons and community events starting next year.

Phase two, which is currently under design, calls for basketball and tennis courts, a dog park, pavilions, sports practice fields, a playscape, hike-and-bike trails and an amphitheater.

The name Veterans Memorial Park was approved by Cedar Park City Council Jan. 24, 2008.

Discovery Well Cave Preserve

In Cedar Park, it isn’t entirely about what’s going on above ground. The Texas cave capital of the world will welcome a brand-new, 110-acre preserve early this summer. The Discovery Well Cave Preserve is located at the corner of Anderson Mill Road and Lime Creek Road.

“There are approximately 800 known caves in Williamson County, and this is about the only place where you can really come and go hiking and read about the caves and where we have activities available,” said Texas Cave Conservatory member Mike Walsh. “It’s very rare to have parks that are open like this.”

Discovery Well is host to 10 separate caves and is one of the last known homes of the Tooth Cave Ground Beetle. The beetle is found only in Cedar Park and is the reason the Texas Department of Transportation purchased the land. Two years ago the construction of Toll 183A forced TxDOT to destroy several caves near the US 183 and Toll 45 intersection. To proceed, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stipulated that TxDOT purchase at least 100 acres of beetle habitat to create a preserve.

“They had to have that or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife wouldn’t have given them permission to do what they had to do,” Walsh said. “That was the last piece of property of that size in Cedar Park that has the same species.”

TxDOT purchased the land for nearly $10 million, a price that was driven up from $4 million due to the presence of the beetle, Walsh said. TxDOT still owns the land, but has a 50-year management agreement with the City of Cedar Park.

The preserve will have a soft opening April 12 for Cave Day and will then remain open on a limited basis. Citizens are encouraged to contact the City of Cedar Park Parks and Recreation Department before venturing into the preserve.

“We got it in the hands of the City of Cedar Park knowing that they would do everything they could to get reasonable public access as soon as possible,” Walsh said.

Cedar Park Recreation Center

City officials have also completed plans for the Cedar Park Recreation Center.

The facility is 50,000 sq. ft. of indoor recreational space to include a double gymnasium with an elevated walking/jogging track, cardio theater, weight area, three multi-use community rooms, childcare area, lobby offices and storage. An aquatic element is not planned for the facility at this time.

The center will be located in Town Center Park, a 13-acre park near the intersection of Discovery Boulevard and Main Street.

The $11 million construction budget was funded by bond money approved by Cedar Park residents in 2001 and 2007.

”We’re probably one of the largest cities in the area that doesn’t have a rec center,” Randa said. “It addresses a need that was expressed by the public when we had those public input meetings.”

Brushy Creek Recreation Park

This fall, residents will also be able to enjoy the Brushy Creek Recreation Park, located at the intersection of Parmer Lane and Brushy Creek Road.

The 54-acre park will emphasize sports programming and includes two lighted baseball/softball fields and two lighted football/soccer fields.

“The additional field space with nighttime use will allow Cedar Park to host various sports league tournaments that we are now unable to offer at other park locations,” Randa said.

A concession area, hike-and-bike trails, disc golf and a playscape are also included within the park as well as a connection to Williamson County’s Brushy Creek Regional Hike and Bike Trail.

The park has been tentatively titled Brushy Creek Recreation Park to coincide with the Brushy Creek Lake Park located to the east (see map p. 27). Construction began on the recreation park in December and will be completed in the fall.

Benbrook Ranch Community Park

Leander has new park plans, too. Benbrook Ranch Community Park, located at the corner of Bagdad Road and Halsey Street, will be completed by the end of May.

The 46-acre park includes a BMX track, disc golf course, softball field, soccer fields, hike-and-bike trails, playscape, group pavilion and restrooms. Funding for the project came in the form of a $500,000 grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, a $200,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and leftover 2004 bond funds.

More than 70 percent of the property is part of a 100-year flood plain that would have otherwise gone unused. The BMX course was designed by Land Design Partners and constructed by the Leander public works department. The 18-hole disc golf course is the first in Leander.

Phase two includes a small skate park, athletic field improvements and another pavilion. Due to funding issues there is no timeline for phase two’s completion.

“We’re really behind the curve right now due to the growth. We don’t really have the facilities that we need to satisfy the public demand right now,” Leander Parks and Recreation Director Steve Bosak said. “This will help us with athletics. We’ll have more soccer fields, and we’ll have a softball field. This will also bring services north of FM 2243, which up until now we haven’t had up there.”

The park is also the home of one of three restrooms in Leander composed entirely of concrete. Made by LB Foster, the CXT restroom is prefabricated and delivered to the site ready-to-use. Plumbing and electricity are completed beforehand, so that when the structure arrives it can be placed on the pad immediately. According to Bosak, the restrooms were fully functioning three hours after the landing.

Devine Lake Park

Leander is also putting the finishing touches on Devine Lake Park.

The park opened for public use in November, however, fishing is prohibited until May 1.

After the lake dried up in 2006, catfish donated by H-E-B and chad and sunfish from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division were put in the lake. In late 2007 the lake was stocked with fingerling large-mouthed bass by a donation from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Fishing has been prohibited until May 1 to allow the population to grow and get a foothold on the new environment.

The park includes a playscape, multiple picnic areas, open fields and an off-leash dog park. It is also the home of Leander’s annual kite festival.

Texas X Park

Recent additions to Leander’s Texas X Park has the development on schedule for a 2008 groundbreaking, with a grand opening in late 2009.

“We got excited; it’s our fault. We thought we’d be moving a little bit quicker,” X Park developer Matt Tolbert said of the delays. “We just took a step back and double checked everything. We’re in a hurry, but we’re not. This stuff needs to be done right so you don’t trip down the road when things are really rolling.”

The organizers of the extreme sports venue are currently working on securing all the necessary permits to open a facility of this size and nature. Permit requirements have forced the X Park to make several minor engineering changes.

“We’re just securing the quality of the development and trying to be as environmentally friendly as we can,” Tolbert said. “These permits are tedious, but they’re done right.”

The 203-acre park is located at the corner of Bagdad Road and San Gabriel Parkway. Phase one of the project includes the extreme sports facilities, with phases two through five to include hotels, commercial retail and cable ski facilities.

In February, Leander city council approved the addition of a 2,500 seat amphitheater suited for small concerts and shows. The amphitheater joins BMX racing, paintball, and motocross as planned features.

One exciting component to be included in the X Park is the electronic wristbands. The bands are water resistant and have a computer chip embedded in them that allows users to keep a balance and track movements throughout the X Park. Ideal for children, users need only swipe the armband past an electronic sensor to make purchases or enter other areas of the park.

Parents will be able to monitor their child’s spending and location online and place more money in the account. Visitors can purchase armbands at the park or online.

“The whole community is excited, and we’re excited for them. We’re hoping to deliver a good product to exceed their expectations,” Tolbert said. “The city has been great. They’re the perfect neighbor.”

Cave Day - Saturday, April 12, 2008

Texas Cave Conservancy members will host the second annual cave day April 12. TCC members will be at the caves from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with up close looks at caves and Ricky Rhadine, the Tooth Cave Ground Beetle. The event starts at Kay Redden Park, located at the intersection of Lakeline Boulevard and Buttercup Creek Boulevard, where detailed information and directions to preserve locations can be picked up all day long.

Kay Redden Park

Tour seven different caves in the Buttercup Cave Preserve, located southwest of Kay Redden Park. Cave expert Bill Larson will be on hand to discuss the discovery and history of each cave. Educational signs have also been installed at each cave. Tours take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Twin Creeks Historical Area

Located off of Anderson Mill Road, this historical site has a 150-year-old log cabin that has been renovated with a new roof and running water. Natural springs, tall trees and a Native American shelter cave also inhabit the site. The tour involves a short 1-mile hike.

Educational Show Cave

Educational signs at each cave will have information on endangered species, cave life, plants and bats who reside in the caves. Pick up a cave entry pass at Kay Redden Park.

Discovery Well Cave Preserve

Explore the newest preserve in Cedar Park. Filled with 10 caves, an expert guide will lead visitors through the park describing each cave’s history and answering questions. Cavers will demonstrate climbing techniques and provide information on local topography. Tour starts at 3 p.m.