Page 18 - CityofKellerFY25Budget

Goal 1: Elevate Family Life

Strategy 1.1: Establish the Keller Sports Park as a Premier Destination
During FY 2020-21, City Council created a Keller Sports Park Task Force with participants from City Council,
the Parks and Recreation Board, and representatives from the park's participating leagues and user groups
tasked with reviewing the Keller Sports Park Master Plan and proposing updates to transform it into a
premier destination, addressing current and future sporting needs.

Recommendations made by the Keller Sports Park Task Force were presented to City Council in March
2022, and the council approved a design contract that evening with architectural and engineering design
firm Parkhill. As part of the design process, Parkhill staff conducted an in-depth analysis of the site and
the history of Keller. The resulting design concept centers on sports nostalgia and incorporates Keller's
past to create a memorable, family-friendly experience. The final designs and plans were approved by
council at the Dec. 5, 2023, city council meeting, and construction kicked off in January 2024.

In FY 2023-24, annual debt obligations for the Keller Development Corporation, which allocates the 1/2-
cent of sales tax revenue dedicated to parks capital projects, dropped from approximately $1.6 million to
$250,000. With that opportunity on the horizon, council approved the issuance of $28 million in debt
related to the proposed sports park improvements in February 2024.

The KDC's FY 2024-25 budget also includes $1,112,283 for the design and construction of a splash pad and
two community lawns — and $508,333 for parking lot improvements — at the Keller Sports Park. The
budget allotted for the splash pad and community lawns is part of a three-year phased approach to the
project's funding, with a total price tag of $4,886,280. Also included in the KDC FY 2024-25 budget is
$100,000 for a playground shade structure, the location of which is to be determined, and $36,000 to
replace a 12-year-old tractor utilized by the Parks crew.

Strategy 1.2: Expand and Maintain the City's Trail System to Provide Continuous Connectivity of the
Parks System

Keller continues to be recognized for its award-winning parks and recreation amenities, including our
29.5-mile trail system. Results from the 2024 Community Survey revealed that the city's trail system is
among the most popular amenities in town, and its continued expansion is residents' highest investment
priority.

With this knowledge, the Keller Development Corporation has budgeted $400,000 in FY 2024-25 for trail
system expansion to improve connections among the city's parks so residents can gain greater use and
enjoyment of our 340 acres of developed parkland. The Parks and Recreation Board is currently identifying
which trail segment they would like to design next. Combined with recent and upcoming funding in the
five-year Capital Improvements Plan, the city anticipates $2.5 million in trail construction from FY 2024-
25 through FY 2028-29.

Strategy 1.3: Continue to Invest in Excellent Public Safety Services

Police
Keller regularly earns a spot among the 50 Safest Cities in Texas — and the 100 Safest Cities in America —
and the Keller Police Department was the first agency in Texas to achieve both national and state

16