By Renee Marler | Renee@CedarbrookMedia.Com-
If you have driven down Frontier Parkway the last few months, no doubt you’ve seen the construction of the field improvements happening to Frontier Park in Prosper.
The $11 million enhancements will bring additional active and passive spaces to the park, addressing the recreational needs of the growing Prosper population. Frontier Park North, the area under construction by Dean Construction, is located along Frontier Parkway, a quarter mile west of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line. Improvements will include three youth baseball-softball fields and two multi-purpose lighted fields for soccer, lacrosse or football, all with artificial turf. The grounds will also have a hike and bike trail, playground, covered pavilion for community events, pedestrian bridge and additional parking.
Hellas Construction, who partnered with Prosper ISD eight years ago on the Prosper High School football field, baseball-softball fields, track and tennis courts, is completing the project. Randy Bullock, vice president of business development with Hellas said in a statement, “We are excited and feel very fortunate that they chose us again.”
The baseball-softball combo fields and the multi-purpose fields will both use Hellas’ patented Matrix® Turf with Helix technology and patented Realfill™ infill. “It’s the same turf we installed for the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium and ‘The Stars’ practice facility,” Bullock said. “Kids will be able to play a wide-variety of sports and they will be able to host league play and tournaments. They are going to see a lot of play and have a lot of fun.”
The multi-purpose fields will also feature the Hellas Cushdrain® Shock Pad, which will improve shock absorption, while resisting rot, mildew, freeze-thaw, and compression set that is associated with normal athletic field use. “It’s added safety for kids by improving shock absorption, which may reduce concussions,” said Bullock. The Cushdrain elastic layer also improves drainage of the field, reducing downtime of the fields after heavy rains, and resulting in fewer cancelled games.
Currently, Frontier Park includes a five-plex of baseball and softball fields, a soccer complex with 11 soccer fields, five free-standing backstops, four batting cages, a pond with jogging track, the community-built Windmill playground, a pavilion with electricity, a splash ground and restroom accommodations.
According to the Town of Prosper Engineering Department weekly construction update, the field crews are continuing to work fabric and rock on the multi-purpose fields. The lighting contractor has begun grilling piers for field lighting. Weather permitting, dirt crews will prepare sub grade for paving and the utility contractor continues to work on finishing drainage improvements and the pavilion. The foundation of the concession building has been poured and mow bands will soon be installed around fields two, three and four.
The splash pad, adjacent to the playground, is not affected by the construction and is open daily now through Labor Day weekend.
“The Frontier Park North expansion is an exciting project that will add much-needed sports and leisure options for all residents,” says Dudley Raymond, Prosper’s Director of Parks and Recreation. “Frontier Park is a stellar facility and the north field improvements, amenities and parking addition will allow for even more Prosper residents to make use of the park and its features.”
The Frontier Park North expansion is partially funded through Collin County’s Open Space Assistance Program and a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant. Construction will continue through 2017, with the project scheduled for completion in time for use in the spring of 2018.
