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- bicentennial park
Friday, April 19, 2024
After months of eager anticipation, the Southlake Pickleball Complex has officially swung open its doors, ready for its inaugural serve.
On Tuesday, February 20, city officials came together to mark a historic moment at Bicentennial Park—the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Southlake’s much-awaited Pickleball Complex! The nation’s fastest-growing sport has found its home in Southlake, and we are beyond thrilled!
The ribbon-cutting event was held with typical Southlake flair, with City Council leaders, the Southlake Parks Development Corporation, and the Park and Recreation Board assembling to unveil this exciting addition to the community. Mayor John Huffman, City Council Member and SPDC President Randy Williamson, and Park and Recreation Board Chair Magdalena Battles highlighted the significance of this achievement and expressed gratitude to the many individuals who contributed to making this project a reality.
The night concluded with the winners of the Citizen Survey contest having the privilege of being the first residents on the courts. These lucky individuals were the inaugural guests to experience the world-class facility, which boasts eight Pickleball courts, a stunning Championship Court, inviting gathering spaces, and ample shade structures. It was a fantastic event, marking the official launch of this exciting new facility.
A special thank you goes out to the dedicated group of individuals who served on the pickleball task force led by SPDC president and City Council Member Randy Williamson, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Talley, and Former Park and Recreation Board Chair Frances Scharli. This team worked for well over a year with City staff engaging with stakeholders while helping to develop an operations plan and pricing structure that prioritized resident use while also providing excellent opportunities for access by all.
The City of Southlake Pickleball staff has also put in tireless effort over the past few months, implementing best practices, crafting policies, conducting training exercises, and guiding our first guests through the state-of-the-art facility. This dedicated team is now eager to welcome the entire community to the Southlake Pickleball Complex.
The Southlake Pickleball Complex is now open! Head to our website for details on membership, operating hours, open play, court reservations, and more!
Playing softball, soccer and baseball will look different for Southlake athletes in 2024. The Community Services and Public Works Departments are undertaking a project to install artificial turf on 11 playing fields between two parks, Bicentennial and Bob Jones.
Bicentennial and Bob Jones parks both serve as cornerstones of this community. They are the weekend home to thousands of young Southlake athletes who spend time playing baseball, soccer, and softball. The turf updates to the fields add to the appeal of our award-winning parks, as our athletes will be competing on the same turf system used at the Liverpool FC of the English Premier League.
The project scope includes four baseball fields at Bicentennial Park, four softball fields at Bob Jones Park, and three multipurpose fields also at Bob Jones Park. In addition to the new playing surfaces, several fields will receive new fencing and even some new dugouts. Weather permitting, the project is estimated to reach completion in spring 2024.
“We’re so excited to be able to offer these fields to our community,” said Community Services Director David Miller. “The new playing surfaces will be awesome to look at, a great asset to the parks, and will better accommodate the needs of our community.”
Recognizing the opportunity to enhance playing and training capabilities at our parks, City Council approved this major turf project during their Oct. 17, 2023, meeting. GeoSurfaces, Inc, who previously installed turf in the playground area of Bicentennial park earlier in 2023, will be the contractor for the $11.6 million project. Funds for the project are allocated from the Southlake Parks Development Corporation (SPDC) Capital Improvement Program.
This project was made a priority in the 2035 Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan. The plan was formally adopted in 2021, but during the City Council Summer Work Session of 2023, City Council reprioritized replacing the grass in our most popular parks.
The addition of artificial turf brings many advantages. Not only will they have less maintenance needs throughout the year, but they will maximize field use and increase the flexibility of the space. Turf fields are well-drained, making them available for play almost year-round. This means less chances of rainouts for our athletic association partners: Dragon Youth Baseball, Southlake Girls Softball Association and Grapevine-Southlake Soccer Association. Another benefit of turf fields will be the water conservation that will result no longer having to irrigate the fields.
“We can’t wait to see our athletic association partners taking full advantage of the fields once the project is complete,” said Miller. “We’re really looking forward to the kids enjoying the updated spaces.”
Once completed, these fully customized fields will become part of the list of world-class amenities which make Southlake parks stand out in the region. To learn more about the project visit ExperienceSouthlakeTexas.com.
Pickleball is all about community. It’s a sport for literally anyone, and it’s a great way to make new friends. We’re counting down the days for the new Southlake Pickleball Facility at Bicentennial Park to open, and we know you’re just as excited about it as we are.
As we move through construction, we are pleased to announce we’ve hired Eric Clay as the new Pickleball Manager and Sean Cornelius as the Pickleball Coordinator. They will officially join the Southlake team on September 5 and begin work immediately preparing to open the facility later this year.
When selecting the new team, it was important to find people who would not only fit in with our Community Services family but also had the knowledge and experience to help make the City’s world class pickleball facility a place where residents would experience world class service every time they step foot on the court. Well, we found them!
“I’m looking forward to helping share my passion for Pickleball with the Southlake family,” said Cornelius. “It’s such an amazing sport and what better place to help it grow than Southlake!”
But it wasn’t just a love of Pickleball that drew Eric and Sean to Southlake, it was also our reputation of excellence.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of an established tradition of excellence and an outstanding reputation for supporting active and healthy lifestyles within the community,” noted Clay. “I feel especially fortunate to be coming into a community that has put so much care into its recreation facilities, and that has been intentional about continuing to develop opportunities for its citizens and visitors to experience a wonderful community in Southlake.”
Want to know more about the team? Here you go.
Eric Clay has built his career around Pickleball and Tennis. He’s served both sports as a facilitator of programming and community growth for many years.
“My passions for building community have brought Pickleball into focus and supporting that growth and development are a high priority for me,” says Clay. “I love that I’m able to be a part of a team that created an environment that supports health and wellness efforts. Ultimately serving to support another’s ability to balance the challenges of the daily ‘have too’s’ with the more fun ‘get to do’s.’ It’s all so very rewarding to me personally and professionally.”
Recent UT Tyler graduate, Sean Cornelius is not a stranger to pickleball. He’s been playing for about four years and with over two years of coaching and tournament experience.
“Once I picked up a paddle, I fell in love,” says Cornelius. “I have seen a tremendous amount of change in the sport in just a few years, and I really enjoy being able to contribute to that even in the smallest of ways.”
We’re thrilled to have Eric and Sean on the team and look forward to formally introducing them to the Southlake Community once the new facility opens. You can stay up to date with all things Southlake Pickleball by visiting our website, ExperienceSouthlakeTexas.com. We’ll see you on the courts!
In Southlake, we take safety seriously; our splash pads are no exception. Although there are a few types of splash pads throughout the City, checks and balances are strategically used to ensure that water play is safe wherever you go in Southlake.
Aquatics Supervisor Jennifer Blackstock and Parks Crew Leader Johnny Lopez know these systems better than anyone, so they joined Minute with the Mayor this week to discuss Southlake’s safety commitment.
There are two types of splash pads in Southlake – the first is the recirculation splash pad, and the second is the flow-through splash pad.
Blackstock mentioned that the splash pad at Champions Club uses a recirculation system outfitted with a UV disinfection system and filter. Water tests are conducted each hour to ensure quality as well. This is the same system the water in the pool at Champions Club also goes through.
The Experience Southlake page about splash pad safety says, “The UV systems at both Southlake splash pads operate above the minimum requirement of 40mj/cm2 dosing rate to ensure an enhanced level of disinfection and user safety.”
Although the same amount of fun, the splash pad at Bicentennial Park is a bit different! Lopez noted that the splash pad at Bicentennial Park is flow-through, meaning that the water is not reused, and it is the same quality of water that flows from the faucets in your home. The water from the Bicentennial splash pad drains into the pond at the park. The pond is then used to irrigate about 80 acres of greenspace in Southlake.
Our teams are dedicated to making this summer a splash while keeping residents safe. To view more in-depth information about how the splash pads work, please visit the Experience webpage.
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
The City of Southlake unveiled its newest piece of public art on Wednesday, May 24, at 9:00 AM at the Liberty Gardens in Bicentennial Park.
City Council members, Art Council members, first responders, and the artist gathered at the Liberty Gardens to celebrate the arrival of “Remembrance and Renewal” by New York artist Mark Weisbeck. Mayor Huffman made the opening remarks, followed by Zac Rowe from Gateway Music Ministries singing “The National Anthem” and “America the Beautiful.” Southlake Arts Council Chair Tamara McMillan and artists Mark and Diane Weisbeck also made some remarks.
The new, 15-foot-tall statue consists of two stainless steel towers with lightly textured brass in a “Statue of Liberty” green patina. The sculpture invites the viewer to celebrate with love and honor all those lost and affected by the events of 9-11 and pay tribute to those people and loved ones in a positive, hopeful, and compassionate manner. It invites contemplation and healing within the beautiful gardens and inspires us to work toward harmony, goodwill, and peace. The sculpture reminds us that no matter what actions of terror occur, there will always be citizens who will stand against it and work toward friendship, understanding, and peace to make the world a better place for all.
“Remembrance and Renewal” was approved by the Southlake Arts Council during their April 26, 2022, Arts Council meeting and by the Southlake City Council during their May 17, 2022, meeting. Learn more about Southlake’s Public Art program by visiting our Public Art website.
Visit the Liberty Gardens in Bicentennial Park to spend a moment of contemplation in front of our newest piece.
The fastest-growing sport in America is finding a permanent home in Southlake!
This Wednesday, April 19, City officials gathered in Bicentennial Park to officially break ground on the much-awaited pickleball facility. As Southlake has grown over the years, so has the emergence of Pickleball. Bicentennial Park is a cornerstone of our community and the new pickleball facility will only add to its greatness.
City leaders from the City Council, Southlake Parks Development Corporation, and Park and Recreation Board gathered early on Wednesday morning to kick off the construction of the facility. Speeches by Mayor Huffman, Mayor Pro Tem Williamson, and Park Board Chair Scharli explained how this project came to fruition.
Recognizing the growing popularity and demand for the sport, City Council awarded the bid to construct a nine-court pickleball facility within Bicentennial Park during a March 2023 City Council meeting. Recommendations for investing in a pickleball facility were outlined in the Southlake 2035 Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan adopted by City Council at their June 15, 2021 meeting. The new $4.5 million complex will be funded by the Southlake Parks Development Corporation (SPDC) Capital Improvements Program.
Created in 1992, the Southlake Parks and Development Corporation administers the city’s half-cent sales tax and applies it toward parks-related capital projects. Since then, this funding source has paid for the redevelopment and construction of various community parks such as Bicentennial Park, Bob Jones Park, and North Park.
Construction started the week of April 14, 2023, with an estimated completion date of fall 2023. Once completed, along with plenty of space to socialize with friends and family, the facility will house eight pickleball courts, one championship court, restrooms, and a staff office. Visit our Pickleball page to learn more about the project.
We can’t wait to celebrate the grand opening of Southlake’s newest community facility in the Fall!
The Fit City Challenge starts next week, and if you don’t know how to start earning points for Team Southlake, have no fear! The Outdoor Fitness Series is here!
Join us this spring for everyone’s favorite free fitness series. Outdoor classes are located in different parks throughout Southlake and taught by Champions Club’s world-class group fitness instructors. The Outdoor Fitness Series is ideal to try our most popular group fitness classes before committing to a Champions Club membership.
Ready to see what all the Champions Club hype is all about? Mark your schedules for the following times.
Saturday, April 1 at 9:00 AM
High Fitness at the Aria Amphitheater
Tuesday, April 11 at 6:00 PM
Yoga at the Bob Jones Nature Center Pavilion
Wednesday, April 19 at 6:00 PM
Zumba at Aria Amphitheater
Tuesday, April 25 at 6:00 PM
Pilates at Bob Jones Park
Saturday, April 8 at 9:00 AM
Boot Camp at Champions Club Outdoor Turf 1
Thursday, April 13 at 6:00 PM
Pilates at Bob Jones Nature Center Pavilion
Saturday, April 22 at 9:00 AM
Boot Camp at Champions Club Outdoor Turf 1
Thursday, April 27 at 6:00 PM
Yoga at the Aria Amphitheater
No registration or membership is required, so get outside, get a good workout, and get some points for Team Southlake!
This week on Minute with the Mayor, get the low down on our newest beautification project for the Bicentennial Park playground!
Director of Community Services Chris Tribble and Parks Manager Mike Reasoner gave a rundown of the project, including timelines and details of what is to come.
Director Tribble mentioned that a section of the playground at Bicentennial Park will soon be replaced with artificial turf. This area has already been poured with concrete to accommodate any winter weather we may experience.
The artificial turf will allow our youngest Southlakers to play safely regardless of weather conditions. “The playground is heavily used, and with the foot traffic we’ve had to maintain, it’s just a muddy pit down here,” said Reasoner.
The project should not cause closures to the surrounding areas of the park, but there is a chance that the playground may close when the installation nears the sidewalk.
Reasoner mentioned cones, barricades, and caution tape would be used to keep safety in mind for residents. In addition to the turf installation, shade structures and planter beds will be added to the playground. A seating wall by the small slide has already been completed.
Stay tuned for updates on this project as we move forward in 2023! To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
The City of Southlake’s Park Division is proud of the gorgeous community parks that make up our community’s green spaces. No park represents our city’s commitment to world-class public spaces for personal enjoyment more than our first and largest community park—Bicentennial Park.
Southlake residents and visitors stroll through the beautifully maintained trails at Bicentennial Park daily. From baseball practice and tennis classes to playing in the playground and walking through the Liberty Gardens, there is a unique spot for everyone at Bicentennial Park. But what makes this award-winning space so incredible?
Let’s get to know more about Bicentennial Park!
Bicentennial Park is a community park comprised of the first land assembled for park purposes in Southlake, with initial purchases and donations beginning in the 1970s. As the city acquired additional land, the park became the center of athletic facilities for Southlake.
Today, Bicentennial Park remains the heart of recreation in Southlake. Boasting various baseball and softball diamonds, a basketball court, the Southlake Tennis Center, a Miracle League, a playground, and our award-winning recreation facility, The Marq Southlake, Bicentennial Park is a world-class example of professional park planning.
While the temperatures are dropping, December is still a fabulous time to visit Bicentennial Park. Grab your hat and bundle up your kiddos for an afternoon of imagination at the Bicentennial Park Playground! Warm up with a brisk walk down the trails with your four-legged friends! If you prefer to spend your free afternoons indoors, check out the two indoor courts at the Southlake Tennis Center or work out at Champions Club at The Marq Southlake.
What’s your favorite feature at Bicentennial Park?