Weatherford Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Regular Session – July 23, 2026

The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board met in regular session at Chandor Gardens, 711 W Lee Avenue, Weatherford, Texas, on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Chair Kathe McDonald called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. (the agenda listed 5:30 p.m.), and the board recited the pledges of allegiance to the U.S. and Texas flags. The board approved the prior meeting minutes, received an FY26 Q3 staff report covering April through June 2026, discussed upcoming park and trail projects, and adjourned at 6:08 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• The board approved the minutes of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board regular session held April 23, 2026. The transcript reflects a motion to approve with no discussion; no roll-call tally was reported.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No citizen comments were made on non-agenda items; no members of the public addressed the board.

Staff Report: Parks, Recreation, and Special Events Update

• Operations and maintenance: Staff opened the Cherry Park pool and the new Love Street splash pad, changed mowing contractors (the new contractor is on schedule through early November), and maintained parks, medians, downtown areas, city grounds, and Chandor Gardens with a 13-person parks crew.
• Horticulture and Arbor Day: The city planted 16 trees at Heritage Park for Arbor Day and has maintained its Tree City USA designation for 36 years.
• Recreation programs: Camp Ranger had 202 registered participants, with roughly three pages of waitlists for swim lessons and camps; the swim team had 128 kids. The annual swim meet at Cherry Park brought in about four other cities' teams, and the June 22 dive-in movie featured SpongeBob SquarePants.
• Rentals and fields: In the last three months, Holland Lake fields recorded 237 rentals; Cartwright Park's ballfield had 68 rentals. Building rentals included Harbor Hill, Cherry Park Building, and Mount Pleasant School.
• Special events and permits: The city's fireworks-related park event drew roughly 10,000 people. The office processed 58 special-event permits last year. Other highlights included a rescheduled Kids Fishing Derby at Holland Lake Park, a litter cleanup with 20 volunteers, an April 11 concert with about 3,000 attendees, a Bruno Mars tribute concert on May 9, large movie-in-the-park nights, and food-truck park nights.
• Upcoming signature events: Staff highlighted Holiday in the Park (400-drone show and a live Christmas tree sourced from Michigan; last year's tree was a 55-foot Norwegian spruce), Jack-o'-Lantern Nights (the only ticketed city event, held at Chandor Gardens with timed entry; a vendor quoted nearly $2 million to run it, so staff produce it in-house), and Monster Bash (free concert and haunted walk; a less-scary earlier walk is planned for younger children this year).
• Facility maintenance: Staff manage maintenance work orders for city buildings; a new parks and recreation office building on Columbia is under construction, with a planned move in January.
• System overview: The city has 22 parks, 880 acres of public open space, 540 acres of maintained city parkland, 3 splash pads, 12 playgrounds, 8 miles of paved trails, 8 miles of mountain bike trails, and 39 city events per year.

Discussion: Trail, Park Projects, and Facility Feedback

• Regional trail project: A board member asked about the big trail connection. Staff said partners are working on a bridge/connection at I-20, and once that piece is solved, other city segments can move forward. A bike-advocacy group with engineers and architects is leading the effort.
• Holland Lake Park: Staff presented the design for an all-accessible, all-inclusive park, including a tower that can be reached by wheelchair. A color palette will be emailed to the board for feedback, and construction is expected to begin around September. Staff noted Fort Worth's Dream Park is the closest comparable facility.
• McGrath Park: The North Main park redesign will include a new skate park, basketball courts, playground, swings, restrooms, expanded parking, and updated lighting; the baseball/softball field will remain, but the backstop will be removed. Funding includes a $750,000 Texas Parks & Wildlife matching grant, with the city matching the amount. TPWD is requiring elements such as signage and shade.
• Love Street Park: The pickleball courts and splash pad are complete; the final phase will add a playground and renovated restrooms this fall/winter.
• Lake Weatherford Beach: Full design is underway for the beach renovation, including two large pavilions, a restaurant facility, sand volleyball courts, more parking, and an 800-foot retaining wall. The park will close and construction will begin in early September.
• Adult comfort amenities: A board member suggested adding adult-focused comfort features such as misters, pavilions, and shaded seating at parks, citing Love Street and Cherry Park. Staff said they would follow up on options.
• Potential additional pool: A board member asked about building another municipal pool on the north or east side. Staff said it has been discussed but is expensive not only to build but also to operate.
• Event sponsorships: In response to a question, staff said Rachel and Michael on the special events team lead sponsor recruitment, offering sponsorship packages including a blanket option covering multiple events.

Future Meeting and Adjournment

• The next regular meeting is scheduled for October 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at Mount Pleasant School, 213 Raymond George Way, Weatherford, TX 76086.
• No future agenda items were identified, and no citizens requested to speak.
• The meeting was adjourned at 6:08 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the April 23, 2026, meeting minutes.
• Received the FY26 Q3 report and discussed multiple project timelines: McGrath Park, Holland Lake Park, Love Street final phase, and Lake Weatherford Beach.
• Board feedback on parent/guardian comfort amenities was accepted for follow-up.
• Confirmed the October 22, 2026, meeting date and location.