Edmond’s parks ‘shine’ because of commitment, investment

For Brad Raney, there is no shortage of new and shiny things to work on, but it’s the simple touches that, in his mind, demonstrate the depth and breadth of the commitment to the City of Edmond’s park facilities.

“Our maintenance staff is planting flowers in a lot of our parks,” said Raney, who took over as Director of Parks for the City in March 2023. “So, when you go to our parks now, in many of them you can see flowers blooming everywhere – and that doesn’t just happen naturally. It’s taken an enormous effort by our Parks staff.

“Along with a lot of work and a lot of planning, there is a lot of loving care and thought that goes into that – how to position flowers and grouping them and mixing colors. It’s a little thing, but I think it shows the commitment and focus we have on making our parks as inviting and attractive as possible.”

From that attention to little things, Edmond’s more than 30 park facilities continue to grow and blossom.

Right now, the City is in the midst of a system-wide refresh and expansion that will take its already burgeoning parks system to a higher level. In the past few years, among the many “new and shiny” projects started and near completion around the city include:

• A $20 million renovation of KickingBird Golf that includes a new, state-of-the-art clubhouse, restaurant and event center, as well as an expanded driving range pavilion, an indoor teaching facility, an expanded short game practice area and a complete reconstruction of all greens, laser leveling and sodding of all tee boxes, and a new irrigation system.
• A $17.5 million makeover of the AC Caplinger Baseball Fields at Hafer Park, which will feature renovations and realignment of the fields, renovated and expanded concessions and restroom facilities. Construction is anticipated to begin in late summer 2024 and take at least one year to complete. 
• A $5.17 million renovation of the Service-Blake Soccer Complex, will include upgrading existing concessions and restroom facilities with new, larger buildings with modern, matching design, as well as modern features to better serve visitors and staff. Also, new offices and a larger conference room for coaches and/or tournament meetings, new landscaping for entrances, and a new drop-off lane for better traffic flow. Later phases will address field, sidewalk, parking and shade needs. Once complete this complex will be a standout among others, drawing high-level tournaments and offering great league play.
• A $6.8 million renovation of Stephenson Park, including a new playground area, a larger green area for events and visitors, a renovated pavilion and an upgraded restroom facility. Also, the project includes expanded on-street parking, more trees and landscaping, lighting, a water line upgrade and improved stormwater management facilities, which will assist in the future development of the area.
• A $1 million improvement to Ted Anderson Park that includes a new splashpad, restroom facilities, and the planting of additional trees. The project also includes repairing and replacing existing sidewalks throughout the park to improve safety and accessibility and the entire playground structure is being remodeled, including a new play structure and safety surfacing. Synthetic turf will replace the woodchips that were previously used for safety surfacing. The splash pad is expected to open by Memorial Day weekend 2024.

That’s more than $50 million committed for those projects and doesn’t include projects like renovations and enhancements for Pelican Bay Aquatic Center, the anticipated projects identified in the Arcadia Lake masterplan, the ongoing expansion of the trails system in the parks and throughout Edmond, playing field projects being considered at Mitch Park, work to accommodate the growing interest in Pickleball and a list of other small and large projects that continues to expand as demand for facilities grows.

“We are trying to focus on what we have right now and really commit to maintaining and improving what we have,” Raney said. “A lot of our big projects – the soccer complex, the splashpad and improvements at Ted Anderson, the renovations at Stephenson and AC Caplinger – are all great examples of looking at our existing facilities and seeing the possibilities for growth and improvement with commitment and investment.”

Maybe no one has seen more, up close, the growth – and potential – for the parks around Edmond than Mayor Darrell A. Davis. His long community service record includes his time on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board from 1996 to 2011.

“The city was evolving when I joined (the Parks Board),” said Davis, who moved on to serve on City Council in November 2011 and has served as Mayor since May 2021. “When I joined, the Board was beginning the process of the development of Mitch Park and the MAC (Multi-Activity Center). The first master plan for that wasn’t even developed yet. I stayed on the Board for a long time because I wanted to be a part of seeing those important projects get across the finish line.

“As a City and community, I believe we all understand the benefits a robust parks system provides. Our residents and visitors see them as a valuable investment, and they embrace the benefits of being outdoors, breathing fresh air, getting some sun and communing with nature and each other. And parks benefit everyone – there is no age limit for enjoying a park.”

Raney said while there have been many successful completions, there are more projects to consider in the future.

“There is a balance of new things – like new trails, which are a huge opportunity to connect our park facilities and connect us as a community – and our investment and commitment to maintain and enhance all the great things we already have,” Raney said. “We are always looking for ways to improve and to expand and improve our facilities to meet the needs of our residents and visitors.”

“The quality of life our parks in Edmond provide is invaluable,” said Davis. “They connect us in so many ways. I remember the first splashpad we put in. So many people came and enjoyed it – people even came from Oklahoma City – and so many people were there connecting with their families and with other people. It may not sound like a big deal, but for Edmond, it was.”

Because sometimes little things add up to big results.