The Parks and Recreation Commission on May 15 approved a master plan for Old Town Park — a roughly one‑acre site adjacent to Pflugerville’s historic water tower — and forwarded the plan for consideration by the Planning & Zoning Commission and then City Council.

The plan, prepared by TBG Partners (landscape architecture) and BRS Architecture, transforms the largely unprogrammed green space into a compact, multi‑use park that staff and consultants described as telling a “story of water”: design elements move from a river/lake motif through pump and distribution references toward interpretive rain gardens and a plaza under the water tower. Key features include an elevated trail loop, a seating/deck area with a woven net “relaxation” feature above play elements, a small pavilion with a restroom, interpretive planting and rain‑capture landscaping, and tightened trail connections to nearby sidewalks and the broader trail network. The concept also shows closing or “dieting” Hoop Street to expand contiguous park space; staff said the road closure option was supported in neighborhood outreach.

Why it matters: the site sits near historic downtown and the water tower — a visible local landmark — and the master plan is intended to make the location more welcoming, accessible and useful to adjacent residents while preserving the tower as a focal point.

Public engagement and process: staff described a robust outreach campaign including on-site engagement, a QR-coded doorhanger distribution to nearby homes and an online survey; staff reported roughly 1,200 engagement touchpoints and that nearly a third of survey respondents live within a half-mile of the park. Council asked for the plan to be flexible and phased so elements can be implemented as funding allows.

Commission discussion included praise for the design from several members and concerns from others. One commissioner who participated in earlier workshops said they “love the concept” but felt the site is the “wrong location,” citing cost estimates offered in discussion of roughly $4–5 million as a reason to consider alternatives. Staff reiterated the plan is conceptual and emphasized the stated intent to phase construction and to allow a more limited initial investment if council prefers. Several commissioners also raised wayfinding and trail‑connection questions for bringing visitors from historic downtown to the new park area.

Vote and next steps: The commission moved to approve the master plan and, after a recorded division of support and opposition during the voice vote, the motion carried. Staff said the plan will next go to the Planning & Zoning Commission and then City Council for adoption; design and construction timing will depend on funding availability and subsequent design work.

Consultants identified an approximate design phase timeline of six to 12 months once council and funding direction are given; final construction schedules will be set after design and budgeting phases.