Frisco’s planned 1,000-acre Grand Park is one step closer to fruition following a city council work session where council members approved moving forward with the design of the park’s first phase.
“At our 2024 Summer Council Work Session, we finalized the Grand Vision for Grand Park!” Council Member Tammy Meinershagen posted on social media in late June. “This treasured centerpiece in the heart of Frisco will have something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a nature stroll through the untouched Blackland prairie, playing pickleball or tennis, kayaking on multiple ponds, running a 5K or 10K, a variety of playgrounds, a picnic on the lawn at the Botanic Garden, and so much more.”
The park has been in the works for years, with voters approving $22.5 million in taxpayer money for its initial development in 2006. However, progress was delayed because of the need for soil and water amelioration on the site of the former Exide Technologies battery recycling plant.
The former property owner agreed to do the clean-up, but the work dragged on until the city took control of the effort in October 2020, Frisco Enterprise reported.
Last year, Frisco City Council authorized a $394,000 contract with IDEO to create a “Grand Vision” for the Grand Park, a process that included community input. In addition, city leaders contracted with Design Workshop for a site analysis, according to Local Profile.
It will likely take decades to complete the entire 1,000-acre park, which, when finished, will be larger than New York City’s famous 845-acre Central Park. Construction on Phase 1 of the long-term project is expected to begin by fall 2025.
According to Meinershagen’s social media post, the Grand Park Master Plan curates 300 acres of the park into five distinct districts with 16 acres of ponds and connecting trails. This portion of the park sits between Legacy Drive and the Dallas North Tollway, bounded by Stonebrook Parkway to the south and Cotton Gin Road to the north.
The 68.9-acre Civic Park will serve as a main gathering place for the community and will include a 5-acre pond and peninsula, an event lawn for live music that can accommodate crowds of up to 7,500 people, rock climbing, a splash pad, a food truck area, a kayak and paddleboard launch, a nature trail, a sculpture garden, water features, and wood decks along the water areas, a beach area, an orchard, and a picnic pavilion.
The Adventure Play district will feature 39 acres of wetland-inspired playgrounds and iconic play areas, including treehouses, homestead structures, a slide hill, and much more.
The Sports Park, at nearly 47 acres, will feature a dog park, table tennis, tennis, pickleball, volleyball, a ski park, disc golf, a soccer field, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, a skate park, and a primrose pond.
The 78-acre Botanic Garden will have a nature conservatory, water features, a restaurant, a woodland area, and a series of gardens, lawn spaces, and trails, which Meinershagen said would be suitable for weddings, events, discovery, and learning.
The Nature Center will offer 36.7 acres of untouched nature trails and Blackland Prairie.
Phase 1 will focus on Civic Park, which is the “heart” of the park.
The 1,000-acre Grand Park will be connected by 20.7 miles of trails “for multiple types of users, whether runners, walkers, strollers, or bikers,” Meinershagen wrote in her post. “We’ll also have different types of experiences on the trails that cater to those who want to escape from activity and those who want to be surrounded by it.”
“I’ve said many times over the years that one day, despite all the great projects that are here in Frisco, it’s my true belief that Grand Park is what (Frisco) will become best known for,” said Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney, per Frisco Enterprise.