Two Parkhill Park Projects Receive Awards at 2021 TRAPS North Conference

Heritage Park at Flower Mound at Town of Flower Mound, Texas, and Bicentennial Park at Southlake, Texas, received awards at the 2021 Texas Recreation and Parks Society North Conference. Heritage Park received a Park Design Excellence Award (Class 1) and Bicentennial Park received a Park Design Excellence Award (Class II). Award winners were chosen based on projects that exemplify commitment and dedication in the field of parks and recreation.

Heritage Park at Flower Mound

The emphasis for Heritage Park was to focus on the park’s natural beauty. The project gives the community of Flower Mound an accessible trail that winds through the Cross Timbers eco-region and the densely wooded areas of the park, while also providing points of interest and learning.

Phase 4 of this project features the “Wildlife Encounter,” a 1-mile long trail with bronze sculptures of Texas wildlife that could be encountered in the region. Each wildlife sculpture has an informative sign describing the animal as well as impressions of the animal’s footprints leading up to the animal's resting spot at the base of the trees. 

Bicentennial Park at Southlake

One of the earliest projects at Bicentennial Park included a master plan to bring life to the 80-acre park. The park now contains six new competition baseball fields that vary in size for different age groups, bringing the total number of baseball fields to 10 competition fields and one practice field. There is also a Miracle Baseball Field for community members with special mental and physical needs. It contains six new tennis courts added to the thirteen courts in the existing complex as well as a new tennis clubhouse to better serve the active tennis community.

Along with improved sports facilities, Bicentennial Park now includes an improved playground area. The 1.3-acre, enclosed, all-abilities playground features an open lawn, three rentable pavilions, and a splash pad spray park. 

An extensive hike and bike trail system winds throughout the park. A series of retention and detention ponds create an attractive focal point at the entrance to the park. This feature is an attractive face for the Southlake community, and these ponds also provide detention that solve a downstream flooding issue and irrigates the athletic fields.