Post Oak Park, trail head talks progress

By Chris Roark, Staff Writer
(Created: Friday, October 3, 2008 5:35 PM CDT)
Those who opposed an equestrian trail head being put in at Post Oak Park may like the newest park master plan that will soon be presented to the public.

Flower Mound’s undeveloped park land subcommittee met Tuesday with the design team from Dunaway Associates to discuss the revisions to a plan first presented in May concerning the renovation of the 19-acre park, which is located on the corner of Flower Mound Road and Skillern Boulevard.

The two sides also discussed a plan for an equestrian trail head to be designed on an acre of land south of Wichita Trail and just west of Skillern.

The public hearing for the Post Oak Park master plan and the equestrian trail head master plan will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Flower Mound Town Hall.

The subcommittee showed support for the revised Post Oak Park option that didn’t include a trail head, like the options in May.

Tuesday’s plan also showed the entry to the trail head coming off Flower Mound Road, on the northeast side of the park. That differed from previous plans that had the entry on the west side of the park, off Skillern. That had been a major point of concern for residents during a public hearing May 21.

“We heard them loud and clear,” said Larry O’Flinn of Dunaway Associates. “We think this entry is the best spot for this property. Until Skillern gets improved, it’s going to be a pretty dangerous road. The concern was that with an equestrian trail, pulling onto Flower Mound Road would be difficult. But, (with the new plan) it won’t be anymore.”

The plan contains many of the same features included in the previous plans, such as a woodland observation deck, a woodland enhancement area, a wetlands area, a conservation area and an interpretive nature pavilion.

The subcommittee also supported one of the equestrian trail plans. The favored “A” concept shows eight parking spaces with the driveway hugging the far west side of the property. The tentative plan is for the site to use decomposed granite for the parking lot. The site would also include a warm-up corral and a wash pad, among other amenities.

Should the proposal pass, the trail head, which would cost about $163,000, could connect to an existing platted equestrian easement that would connect to the Corps of Engineers property and the trail system that runs to Rocky Point Park.

“Concept ‘A’ uses the natural setting of the land,” said subcommittee member Norma Krueger. “And, this makes sense because it actually hooks up to a trail. This is a good start for an equestrian trail head. We’ve promised equestrians for a long time that we would do something, so I’m happy to see us form a plan.”

The Flowermound Leader