...for City of Southlake news, business, and community happenings.
-
- Bicentennial Park Phase 3
Saturday, April 20, 2024
These enhancements are a part of the Southlake 2030 Parks, Recreation and Open Space/Community Facilities Master Plan. The City anticipates substantial completion of this project by October 31, weather and external conditions permitting.
The project is divided into three areas. The first area includes irrigation and turfing of the large field west of the existing in-line hockey rink. The second area consists of the renovation and expansion of the in-line hockey rink and addition of synthetic turf. The existing restroom building will be repurposed into a storage facility. The third area includes the placement of safety netting at the 60/90 baseball field to protect pedestrians from foul balls.
The irrigation project at the large field west of the in-line hockey rink has been completed and the repurposing and renovation of the existing restroom facility is on schedule. Poles have been placed for the foul ball netting, with installation on the horizon.
The City of Southlake is working to improve the standard of living and keep Southlake special for our residents with a variety of projects from streets and other critical services to parks. For more information about the 2030 Parks, Recreation and OpenSpace/Community Facilities Master Plan, click here.
City Council approved a professional services agreement with Schrickel Rollins, PSC for the design of Bicentennial Park Phase 3.
The improvements are a part of the adopted 2030 Parks, Recreation and Open Space/Community Facilities Plan, which enhances our parks by expanding our facilities and land usage.
The improvements are approved by the Southlake Parks and Development Corporation (SPDC), a City appointed board which administers the City’s half-cent sales tax allocated to parks-related capital projects.
The enhancements included in this project’s design are: renovation of the in-line hockey rink to include synthetic turf, placement of safety netting at the 60/90 baseball field and a renovation of the existing restroom building located at the south end of the Tennis Center.
This project’s design has also been combined with a separate Water Utilities capital project, which is intended to construct a new fence and drive approach to the Bicentennial Water Tower which is also located in the park.
So far, Phase 1 and Phase 2 have both been completed. Phase 3 is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
With construction beginning this week on the two new indoor courts, there will soon be even more to love about the recently renovated Southlake Tennis Center.
Since the Tennis Center’s beautiful new clubhouse was unveiled earlier this year, visitors have enjoyed state-of-the-art amenities, a full-service pro shop and a multipurpose Club Room that’s the perfect rental space for meetings, luncheons and other special events. With the addition of two enclosed courts, visitors of all ages will be able to enjoy the award-winning facility no matter the weather.
This final round of renovations will transform courts eight and nine into fully temperature-controlled indoor courts. Construction begins this week and is expected to conclude in summer 2019. During construction, the external gate to courts 17, 18 and 19 will not be accessible for visitors wishing to use the facility after hours. We apologize for the inconvenience and encourage players to utilize the two courts by the water tower during the transition, both of which are open to the public. The gate will be re-opened once construction is complete.
For more information, contact the Southlake Tennis Center at (817) 421-5605.
The third and final phase of Bicentennial Park improvements has left the Southlake Tennis Center in the midst of a renovations rally since the demolition of its clubhouse building in April 2017. With three-quarters of the updates now complete, match point is on the horizon to soon unveil additional clubhouse space and amenities.
As Southlake has grown over the years, so has the popularity of the Southlake Tennis Center. Over the past decade, six additional tennis courts have been added to the original 13 tennis courts; however, the clubhouse building has remained unchanged since the Center’s opening in 1999. With an original capacity for only a few staff members, the club house could no longer accommodate the now 10 tennis pros and 22 personnel at the Southlake Tennis Center, not to mention the year-round, full-schedule of adult and junior players.
The new clubhouse renovations will result in additional space and enhanced amenities. In addition to extra retail space for the full-service pro shop, upscale materials are also being used to create a boutique retail setting. Additional restroom facilities are being added, along with upgraded shower and locker areas. A lounge area, full break room and work space with desks will be available to Tennis Center pros and staff. In the back of the building, a multi-purpose space connected to a shaded patio via accordion-style doors will open opportunities for events, meetings and luncheons. Although ceramic tile work, exterior masonry and exterior finishes are still ongoing, final updates will be complete for an anticipated May 2018 grand opening.
Upon completion of clubhouse renovations, two tennis courts will become enclosed to allow for indoor play during inclement weather.
“As a public center for recreation, the new updates to the Southlake Tennis Center will allow it to better accommodate the needs of resident and visiting tennis players, as well as open up additional opportunities for the Center to host tennis-related activities and events,” stated Chris Tribble, the director of Community Services for the City of Southlake.
The $8.8 million-dollar Bicentennial Park improvements are being funded by the Southlake Parks and Development Corporation (SPDC). Created in 1993, the SPDC administers the City’s half-cent sales tax allocated to parks-related capital projects.
The community is invited to an Open House event on Friday, May 18th from 6:00-8:00pm. Guests will be able to take a tour of the new facility while enjoying various activities. If you have any questions, contact Southlake Community Services at (817) 748-8019.
November 10 marked both the beginning and the (near) end for two multi-year, milestone projects in Southlake. Hosting two groundbreaking ceremonies in one day, the City of Southlake kicked-off construction for final phases of The Marq Southlake and Bicentennial Park.
A crowd of approximately 100 people gathered at Aria Amphitheater behind The Marq at 8:00AM to celebrate the start of phase two, known as Champions Club. City leaders past and present were joined on stage by City staff and members of the Community Enhancement Development Corporation (CEDC), Southlake Parks and Recreation Board and Senior Advisory Commission. 
“Today is more than just the groundbreaking of a building,” said Mayor Laura Hill. “It marks an important step in the development of this community. Many people have worked long and hard to get to this point and from this day forward, the real fun begins.”
Former Mayor and CEDC President John Terrell addressed the history of the project, noting that it’s been 20 years in the making and is being built with no tax increase to Southlake residents.
“Since 1996, Southlake citizens have listed a community recreation center as one of their top priorities.
Knowing that this facility was important to the community, the City Council dedicated resources to a feasibility study to help determine what components of a multi-purpose community recreation center should be included in the project. The scope of the project was narrowed down to the plan you see today,” Terrell explained and summarized the multi-year construction process:
The 84,000 square foot Champions Club is being designed to complement the 23,000 square foot Legends Hall that opened December 2015. It will include spaces for fitness, performance training, gymnasium, indoor jog/walk track, indoor aquatics, indoor playground, party rooms, child care and multipurpose classrooms for various programs. With no additional tax increase for Southlake residents, phase two is funded by Community Enhancement Development Corporation (CEDC) bonds, which were approved by voters May 2015. The $37.4 million-dollar facility is scheduled to open summer 2018. When complete, The Marq will be Southlake’s largest public facility at 109,000 square feet (encompassing phase one and two).
“The purpose of Champions Club is to create an elite recreation center for our community to enjoy. Each area has been uniquely designed to accommodate everything from an afternoon workout, a quick dip in the pool to a pickup basketball game all while knowing your child is safe and also enjoying their time here. Champions Club will also be a great place for your favorite recreation programs and birthday parties,” concluded City Manager Shana Yelverton.
The festivities moved across the parking lot at 10:00AM to the Southlake Tennis Center for the groundbreaking ceremony of Bicentennial Park Phase 3. This time, members of the Southlake Parks Development Corporation and Parks and Recreation Board joined City leaders and staff in the ceremonial “digging of the dirt.”
“This is a special day for Southlake. We are truly blessed to have such a diverse park system that caters to the needs of our community,” Mayor Hill stated at the beginning of the ceremony. “Bicentennial Park is a cornerstone in our community. Many people have worked tirelessly to help make this park the jewel that it is today.”
Mayor Hill continued with a brief historical overview of Bicentennial Park, noting Phase 1 was completed in 2011 and Phase 2 in 2015, which included the Texas Rangers Miracle League Field, a 60/90 field, new playground and a new park maintenance facility. Mayor Pro Tem and Southlake Parks and Development Corporation (SPDC) President Randy Williamson spoke about the strategic guidance and significant contributions SPDC has made to the park system.
“Years ago, the City recognized that great cities have incredible parks. In 1992, the Southlake Parks Development Corporation came into being. Its purpose is to administer the city’s half-cent sales tax, and apply it towards parks-related capital projects. Over the years, this group has had a huge task of implementing the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan, and I think today is a great example of the dedication they have to providing beautiful parks to our community,” said Williamson.
Bicentennial Park Phase 3 – an $8.8 million dollar project funded by the SPDC – includes a new building and enclosed courts for the Southlake Tennis Center, trail system completion, synthetic turf field at current in-line hockey court, landscape and irrigation enhancements, and park amenities enhancements. Certain elements of Bicentennial Park Phase 3 are anticipated to be completed by 2018.
“With such a large robust tennis population here in Southlake, we are looking forward to being able to provide what is sure to become one of the premier tennis facilities in the region,” Tina Wasserman, chair of the Parks and Recreation Board,
For more information about these projects, contact the City of Southlake Southlake Community Services Department, 817-748-8019.