Friday, Oct. 03, 2008
Flower Mound Wichita Trail and Post Oak Park Plans Unveiled
Designs include features for both families and equestrians
By Adrian McCandless
Staff Writer
A handful of residents attended the Parks, Arts and Library Services [PALS] Undeveloped Parkland Subcommittee meeting on Tuesday to hear plans for the development of an equestrian trail head on Wichita Trail and the master plan for Post Oak Park.
Dunaway Associates Landscape Architects Larry O’Flinn and Michael Martin spoke with the subcommittee about the possibilities of an equestrian trail head on Wichita Trail.
"This property was originally designated for an equestrian trail head, but – because of the apparent drainage configuration – the trees, the roughness ... and the gas lines and utilities across the front, the staff was unsure if it could actually be a trail head," O’Flinn said.
Martin added that after visiting the site, they were assured an equestrian trail head could be developed on the site. He also presented two plans for the equestrian trail head.
"Plan A" would include: a 20-foot entry way off of Wichita Trail; eight 40-foot-long parking spaces; a warm-up corral on the east section of the property; a wash pad and water trough; three hitching posts among the parking spaces; evergreen screening to the west; and three picnic areas in the southeast section of the property.
"Plan B" differs by having seven parking spaces, instead of eight.
Martin added that they plan to use organic materials throughout the design of the equestrian trail, and wanted to assure the subcommittee members that all plant materials would be "horse friendly."
He also said that durable decomposed granite will be used for the parking lot to decrease the amount of dust and need only minimal maintenance.
O’Flinn said the equestrian trail head is estimated to cost about $163,000.
The subcommittee members agreed that "Plan A" was the better choice. However, they wanted to tweak the design by moving the warm-up corral and the picnic tables.
"It looks nice and I like it," Subcommittee Chairman John Thomas said.
O’Flinn also presented the two plans for Post Oak Park, located at 3000 Skillern Road. He said both the "C-1" and "C-2" plans were similar, except "C-2" includes an equestrian trial head.
Both plans include: a playground; a nature pavilion; picnic areas; a boardwalk across the wetland area; additional planting of smaller trees; and, native grass and wildflowers.
Dominion Estates resident Alfredo Sanchez said he lives south of Post Oak Park, and said he was very pleased with the design of "C-1".
"There are very few parks that are being developed on the west side of Flower Mound," Sanchez said. "We are eager to have this park for the neighborhood."
Parks and Recreation Director Jack Jones said the plans for Post Oak Park are tentatively scheduled to go before the PALS board members on Oct. 23, and could possibly go before the Town Council members as early as December.
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