TOWNE CENTER PARK RENOVATION

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UPDATES

PARK UPDATES

A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE

UPDATED: February 18, 2026: 3:17 pm

CATEGORY: City News, Construction Updates

QUESTIONS

Contact: Bryan Creed
Director of Public Works at bcreed@heathtx.com.

02.18.26

Major new amenities such as the pickle ball courts, interactive fountain and stage are under construction. The $12.8 million renovation is expected to be completed in early 2026, weather permitting.

02.02.26

We’re dreaming of warm, sunny Spring days in our renovated park! Here’s a bird’s eye view of the progress made through January 2026.

12.18.25

New amenities are going vertical at Towne Center Park, including improved baseball field dug outs, playground equipment and pickleball courts!

10.01.25

Here’s a bird’s-eye view of the progress at Towne Center Park!

09.18.25

While rain and utility issues delayed the construction completion timeline, the recent dry weeks have allowed for significant progress. The anticipated completion date may now be as early as February 2026.

City Council awarded the construction contract for Water Well #1 at Towne Center Park for just over $5.5 million at the September 9 meeting.

The first bid process for this project in July netted only one bid with a cost ranging between $8.6M and $9.2M depending on options within the bid. City Council rejected the sole bid and directed City Staff to rebid the project.

The recently completed bid process yielded five bids primarily due to the City granting a longer time frame for bidders to complete the project.

The drilling of the well is expected to be completed in February of 2026 with the well being fully operational in July of 2027. The well will irrigate the park and also provide additional potable water to the City’s overall water supply.

The well is funded separately from the park renovation budget under the Utilities Fund.

Citizens will soon begin to see park elements going “vertical” such as the performance pavilion butterfly playground.

08.12.25

The renovation of Towne Center Park is progressing, although the higher amount of rain than typical this year and utility issues have caused delays. Many of the issues have been overcome, but the projected completion date of the park has been affected, making the anticipated completion date at the end of March.

One bid was received in July for Well Water #1 in the City’s Water Bridge Plan that will irrigate the park and provide additional potable water supply for the City. Potential vendors responded that the compressed time schedule for construction of the project prevented them from submitting a bid. City Council rejected the one bid at its July 22 meeting and requested the project be re-bid with a construction schedule that would be more attractive to bidders.

Additionally, the new bid package was prepared in a manner that separated the electrical scope from the drilling. The bid is in marketplace now with a due date of August 31. The separation of the electrical scope from the drilling allows the renovation of the park to continue in the meantime.

The total budget for the renovation of Towne Center Park is $12,835,902.00.

The park renovation is funded through a partnership between the City and Heath Municipal Benefits Corporation to issue $30 million in 2023 for the park project plus the construction of two new Department of Public Safety Stations and a Public Works facility without impacting the tax rate.

A generous private donation by Heath residents Bob and Kathy Tolbert of $200,000 was also made through the Parks And Trails of Heath (PATH) program to ensure that six of the eight pickleball courts at Towne Center Park are shaded.

The water well will be funded separately through existing resources within the City’s Utilities Fund and a planned bond issuance.

04.01.25

Work is progressing with new paving for parking and the Festival Street for food trucks, the new pond dug has been dug out with significant grading and underground work completed.

12.19.24 TOWNE CENTER PARK GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY

The City of Heath kicked off the Towne Center Park renovation project with a Groundbreaking Ceremony on December 19.

It was a celebration of community and the many leaders and volunteers, past and present, who have worked hard to bring the vision for this gem in the Heart of Heath to life: Mayors and Councilmembers; Park Board members; Heath Economic Development/Municipal Development (HEDC/HMBC) board members; Parks And Trails of Heath (PATH) supporters; City managers and staff; and the teams at Kimley-Horn and Hill & Wilkinson General Contractors. Enjoy the photos from this occasion and watch for updates as we move towards a December 2025 completion, which will include the City’s first potable water well to irrigate the park.

11.27.24

The City of Heath will host a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Towne Center Park renovation project on Thursday, December 19 at 4 p.m.

Come be a part of the festivities and learn more about the park improvements first-hand from the staff of Hill & Wilkinson, the general contractor, and Kimley-Horn, the park designer.

Members of the Park Board and City staff will also be available to answer questions.

10.10.23

City of Heath Launches Towne Center Park Renovation

Heath City Council approved a final budget for the renovation of Towne Center Park at the September 24 meeting.

The completed park will be irrigated by an onsite well and funded separately through the utilities budget. No current city water supply will be used. (A Water Capital Improvement Plan to increase storage capacity and production potential will be presented at the November 12 City Council meeting.)

Landscaping for the renovative park will be a model for the use of Texas native, drought resistant materials that require minimal water.

“The Park Board and City staff navigated this project through the challenges of COVID, supply chain issues, labor shortages, cost increases and water concerns,”said Katie Dyer, Park Board chair.

“We are excited to have a final product that is within the budget and provides the amenities citizens said they wanted through surveys and public input opportunities,” she said. “There is something for every age and life stage, from toddlers to seniors.”

The park is funded through a partnership between the City and Heath Municipal Benefits Corporation to issue $30 million in bonds for this project as well as a new Department of Public Safety Station and Public Works facility without impacting the tax rate. A generous private donation was also made through the Parks And Trails of Heath (PATH) program.

The park renovation budget is $12,835,902.

The park is now closed to accommodate construction activities with an estimated completion of December 2025, in time for a Grand Re-Opening at the Annual Christmas in Heath event.

PROJECT INFO

PROJECT FUNDING:

RENOVATION BUDGET: $12,835,902.00

RENOVATION FUNDING SOURCES: CO Series 2023 bond program that also funds 2 Public Safety Stations, 1 Public Works Facility.
HMBC contributed $3 million; paying annual debt service of $437,935.

PARK AMENITIES:

Main Entrance & Pond

Final pond design captures stormwater from the park and is intended to be refilled by Water Well #1 in the City Water Bridge Plan. The park will be irrigated using reclaimed water from the pond. Well funded separately under City Utilities Fund.

Landscaping

Plant selections are native or native adaptive to Texas, drought tolerant, and are low water use once established -The irrigation for the plants will be from the pond water. Educational Signage.

Event Lawn & Pavilion

Seating capacity up to 2,000 (assuming 10 sqft per person).
Seating capacity up to 600 (assuming 25 sqft per person).
Structural capacity for stage lights/equipment.

Parking

Main Lot: 114 Spots + 6 ADA.
41 additional parallel parking spots.
Area Lots: Amy Parks; churches; Tom Thumb center.

Sports Fields

Multi-use fields A, B, C, D (can be striped for soccer).
Baseball (new grading & stormwater system solves ponding in the baseball field).

Dry Pond

Captures water in a storm event; prevents downstream flooding.

Sports Courts

2 half-court, lighted basketball courts.
8 fenced-in pickleball courts (6 covered/lighted; 2 uncovered/no lights).

Festival Street for Food Trucks

Interior Festival Street:
Three 44’ length spots- room for 6 standard food trucks or 3 trucks pulling trailers

Exterior Festival Street (Parking Lot):
Six 44’ length spots-room for 12 standard food trucks or 6 trucks pulling trailers

Other Amenities

Splashpad
Existing Memorial Playground & Butterfly Playground
Dry Creek/ Nature Walk
Amy Parks Elementary Entrance Improvements
18 Park Benches
30 Trash Receptacles