By Rodney Hays

Editor

One issue the Town of Prosper has worked hard to overcome over the past few years as been park space, especially ball fields for youth sports. The new community park is making progress in easing that problem.

Ground breaking on the new community park, which has yet to be named, actually began in January of this year. But according to Wade Harden, the town's parks planner, the project is scheduled for completion in October.

"Phase I of the project will include 11 soccer/multi-purpose fields and five baseball/softball fields," Harden said. "These fields will be open baseball, softball, soccer and football for spring games in 2011.

Five of the soccer fields will be full-sized with six smaller fields for the younger players.

The other ball fields in town, including the soccer fields near Rucker Elementary school, will be used mostly for practice fields, Harden said.

"These [new] fields, long term, will be used for game fields. The other locations that have been used for game fields, potentially could be used for game fields, but will mostly be used for practice locations," Harden said.

A name has not been selected for the new park, but Harden said the town will hold a contest to help choose a name.

Construction cost for the park is $9.1 million and is scheduled to be completed within budget.

The park is approximately 77 acres and borders the future PISD stadium site, across the street from the new high school.

"The master plan was developed in coordination with the PISD allowing for cost savings for the Town and PISD with shared facilities," Harden said.

Even though games won't actually start until early 2011, the town will host a ribbon cutting for the new park later this fall or winter.