May 30, 20232 min read

Kings Gate Park, WP’s New Ready-made Playground and Trails

Summary: The city is planning to make Kings Gate Park Willow Park's second major city park. The city is negotiating to accelerate its Wilks TIRZ agreement to assume control of the Willow Park North playground, the cement walking trails, and the green space around them, all considered Kings Gate Park. The first improvement will be new mountain bike trails.

Latest Update: Friday, 19 May, 2023

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Kings Gate Park, WP’s New Ready-made Playground and Trails

The city is negotiating to accelerate its TIRZ agreement with Wilks Development Willow Park North and to assume control of Willow Park North playground, the cement walking trails, and the green space around them, all considered Kings Gate Park.

Council Lea Young called the Kings Gate Park the ideal spot for a trail head, with the parks, playground, cement trails, and mountain bike trails on the north side of the Clear Fork Trinity River and with The Shops retail, The District restaurants, an amphitheater on the south side.

Kings Gate Park will be the City of Willow Park's second major city park, with Cross Timbers Park the first.

During the 02 May 2023 Parks Board Meeting, City Council Member Lea Young and Willow Park Master Trails Plan consultant Larry Colvin discussed the benefits of taking control of the Willow Park North playground and trails, “sooner rather than later.”

The city will be able to improve and upgrade the current playground equipment.
Based on the new Willow Park Master Trails Plan, the city will be able to move forward with its plans for the following:
- Get started with the new Willow Park Trails Master Plan.
- Establish Kings Gate Park as a trail head.
- Add bathroom facilities.
- Start the city's first, single-track mountain hike and bike trail in conjunction with Weatherford Mountain Bike Club; the new mountain bike trails would be between the creek and the existing cement walking trails.
- Consider adding Communication Boards.
- Consider adding sports fields.
- Consider including beginner's mountain bike trails similar to those at the Parks of Aledo.

Young indicated the city could absorb the costs of maintenance of the Kings Gate Park, but would probably need some capital improvement funds for the bathrooms and trail head. Willow Park North will maintain their development signs and landscaping.

Note: Not only is Larry Colvin the Willow Park Trails Master Plan consultant, he is also the President of Weatherford Mountain Bike Club and a Senior Civil Engineer Designer for Baird, Hampton & Brown.