By Lori Stacy
Photography by Tommy Pennington
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Sometimes communities grow at thebrexpense of parks and open spaces.brFortunately, that is not the casebrin Southlake. Though the town isbrexpected to see an increase in populationbrof 17 percent from 2005 numbers, the parksbrand recreation options here have not onlybrcontinued to grow, they have flourished.br
The list of parks, recreation areas andbropen spaces in this community is remark-brably diverse. The Bob Jones Nature Centerbrand Preserve offers a chance to explore andbrappreciate the local ecosystem; the impressive lacrosse fields at North Park have welcomed colleges and high schools for playoffbrgames; and the recently opened playgroundbrat Bicentennial Park, with its dragon themebrand innovative equipment, plays hostbrthroughout the days to young children andbrhome-school recreation groups.br
For those seeking history and lore, Royal and Annie Smith Park includes a hand-dug well rumored to be the final resting place of a notorious gangster namedbrPinky. In a league of its own is Texas Rangers Miracle League Field, which openedbrin September and is the backdrop forbrthe Southlake Miracle League, enablingbrthose with disabilities the chance tobrplay baseball.
And this month the city will reach an-brother milestone with the opening of “Legends Hall,” Phase I of The Marq Southlake,bra premier community recreation centerbrthat will house the senior center, an eventsbrhall, multipurpose conference and meeting spaces, a club lounge, catering kitchenbrand an outdoor amphitheater and eventsbrspace. Construction for Phase II, which willbrinclude the fitness and recreation center,brindoor aquatics, an indoor playground andbrmultipurpose classrooms for programs, begins in 2016.
For a town that had just one park two decades ago to be wherebrit is today requires not only community support and involvement but also the effort and planning of the city leadership.
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Former mayor John Terrell has been one of those drivingbrforces. He was mayor from 2009 until 2015 and has been actively involved in Southlake politics and community service for the past 16bryears, meaning he has not only been involved in the planning andbrdevelopment of The Marq from the beginning, but has also witnessedbrand been a part of a parks renaissance in this city.br
“We have one of the best park systems in the entire Southwest,”brsays Terrell, who credits a community and leaders who have not everbrstrayed from the goal of making Southlake one of the most desirablebrplaces to live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.br
“City leaders had a vision for a number of years about making surebrthe park system was the highest quality,” says Terrell. This includedbrbuying land for parks, recreation and open use and developing a long-term master plan for the area's outdoor—and indoor—communitybrspaces. A plan that was put in place for the city in 1992 has been mod-brified throughout the years to meet the growing needs of a growingbrcommunity.br
“What's interesting is that these kinds of visions can't be a successbrwithout continuity,” says Terrell. “That we've kept this vision for sobrmany years is rare and unique.”br
Terrell is quick to point out that the city's impressive park systembrisn't the work or the vision of just a few people. “Many people werebrinvolved from early on,” he says, adding that community support hasbrbeen key in executing the vision. “Our entire city buys into this quality of life.”br
“Our main goal is to continue to provide the park opportunitiesbrour residents tell us they desire while maintaining the environmentalbrintegrity of the gifts we have been given in this beautiful city,” saysbrTina Wasserman, chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Board. “Asbra parks board, we are tasked with balancing many aspects of parks,brfrom large active parks such as Bicentennial Park, Bob Jones NaturebrCenter and North Park, to smaller passive parks, to neighborhoodbrparks and open spaces. I feel our city has done a tremendous job ofbrbalancing the need for very active parks for youth and adult activities,brto passive parks for walks and enjoying nature. We have places youbrcan go in our city to meet all of your needs.”br
Says current mayor Laura Hill, “From the day anyone gets involvedbrin Southlake politics, you know right away how important the parks,bropen spaces and preserving trees is to the city.“We're so familycentric,” says Hill. “People here prioritize enjoyment with the family. Youbrsee that with the parks.”br
Indeed, on most mornings you can find Mayor Hill taking advantage of one of the city's parks with her four-legged family member.brHill has been taking Emma, a four-year-old Rottweiler, to her officebrin Southlake since the dog was just 12 weeks old. Most mornings, thebrpair stops at Liberty Park at Sheltonwood to get a walk in before work.br
Neighborhood parks such as Liberty Park reflect what Hill says hasbrbeen a deliberate effort by the city to hold developers to a higher stan-brdard, ensuring that new communities in Southlake preserve greenbrspaces and set neighborhoods back from the street. So even as thebrpopulation increases and new neighborhoods are built, the charm ofbrthe city has not been lost.
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A Look Back
In 1992, Southlake had a population of 8,000 and 14 acres of parkland,brall in Bicentennial Park. The city was expected to grow to 48,000 residents (a third more than the current forecast), and the recommended park acreage per 1,000 residents was six to 10, detailed in whatbrthe city called the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan.brFour years later, city officials changed that number to 21 acres per thousand residents, almost double the regional standard,brand saw the opening of two additional parks and the expansion of Bicentennial Park to 41 acres.
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Since then, the city has welcomed additional parks andbropen space that have brought the total acreage up to 1,205.brThis number includes small neighborhood parks and thebrmore than eight acres of parks and open spaces withinbrSouthlake Town Square, areas that people might not recog-brnize immediately as city parks but that contribute signifi-brcantly to the beauty and quality of life in Southlake.br
In 2013, when Terrell was serving as mayor, the city updated the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan andbradopted what they call the “Southlake 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan,” to focus on the future of the city's parks.brThe plan emphasizes how important parks, recreation programs and open spaces are to the city, stating that, “accessible parks provide a place to play, exercise, spend time withbrfriends and neighbors, or to just relax and recuperate. Trailsbrserve an important recreational function while also creating opportunities for connections throughout the community. These walking, hiking, running, biking, and equestrianbrtrails connect neighborhoods, parks, schools, places of employment and activity centers, and create mobility opportunities for residents of all ages.”br
Perhaps the most significant addition to the plan, though,brwas the inclusion of a community facilities element, onebrthat would encourage residents of all ages to participate inbrrecreational, educational and sports-related classes and activities. The plan emphasized that “such access also increases opportunities for interaction among all members of thebrcommunity, which can lead to stronger community ties andbran improved sense of connectedness.”
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Next Up: The Marq
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When The Marq opens later this month, that part of thebrplan will be realized and Southlake's citizens will have abrcentral location to meet, enjoy classes and activities or justbrrelax with friends and neighbors.br
“We are excited to see the dream of a community centerbrcome to life with The Marq,” says Wasserman.br
Mayor Hill agrees. “It's the bow on the package,” she says,brreferring to how The Marq fits into the city's overall parks,brrecreation and outdoor spaces plan. “And,” she adds, “it'sbrpaid for.”br
The $15 million facility was funded entirely by a half-brcent sales tax, meaning that not only was Phase I completelybrfunded but the impact on Southlake's citizens was minimal.br“Seventy-five percent of that revenue comes from peoplebrwho don't live in Southlake,” Chris Tribble, Director ofbrCommunity Services for the city, points out.
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Building a Better Senior Center
The Senior Center inside the Marq is particularly impressive, with a library, lounges, a café area and a kitchen.brBut Terrell admits that it wasn't an easy sell to thebrarea's seniors.br
“At first seniors were totally against locating [the seniorbrcenter] in The Marq,” says Terrell. “They wanted to upgradebrthe existing facility where it was.”br
Terrell read an article about the City of Euless' new senior center, which had been built in the city's rec centerbreven though the seniors had been hesitant. But after thebrcenter opened, Euless' older citizens loved the facility and its location, and participation by seniors went up by anbrastounding 2,000 percent.
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“So we loaded up a bus with Southlake seniors and tookbrthem to visit the new Euless senior center,” says Terrell.br“We let their seniors tell our seniors how good it was to bebrlocated in a rec center.”br
After that visit, Southlake's seniors were wholeheartedly on board for what is to be one of the premier centersbrof its kind in the area. “I am extremely glad we have beenbrable to meet a need for our seniors,” Terrell adds.br
The opening of the senior center, though, is bittersweetbrfor Terrell. He worked hand in hand with the longtimebrchair of the Southlake Senior Advisory Commission, DickbrMcAuley, who passed away in April 2014—before McAuley was able to see his efforts on the new senior center real-brized. “He was so, so important,” Terrell says of McAuley'sbrinvolvement with the senior center. “He at least knew,brthough, that it was approved.”
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A Leader With Impact
Though Terrell, who is vice president of commercialbrdevelopment for DFW Airport, no longer holds anbrofficial position with the city, he is still involved in thebrcommunity. “I'll never stop doing things for the city;brI love this city.”br
He and his wife aren't quite empty nesters yet (theybrhave two children—Jacob, 18, a student at Texas A&M, andbrJordan, 14, a freshman at Carroll High), but that doesn'tbrmean Terrell doesn't derive just as much enjoyment frombrSouthlake's parks as a family with young children. He enjoys taking walks through Bob Jones Nature Center andbrPreserve and considers a great day to be one that includesbran outing to Southlake's Texas Rangers Miracle LeaguebrField to watch a game and cheer on the children.br
“It's an inspiration to watch these kids play baseball,brmany for the first time,” says Terrell, whose wife Joanne isbrcurrently on the board of the Miracle League.br
While Terrell is quick to spread credit for the advancesbrthe city has made with its parks, recreation and outdoorbrspaces—and indeed it has been a community effort thatbrthe city's many leaders have executed—Terrell's rolebras a city leader over the past 16 years and his support ofbrSouthlake's impressive park system can't be minimized.brDuring his tenure, more than 11 miles of new sidewalksbrand trails were created, and he also helped the city welcome the arrival of Miracle Field, calling it one of the projects he took most pride in as a city leader. Terrell has beenbrinvolved with the development of The Marq, which hasbrbeen in the works for 10 to 12 years, since its inception.br
Says Mayor Hill, “The Marq would not have happenedbrwithout John Terrell's strong leadership and fiscal stew-brardship. I am still amazed that Phase I was built with cashbrand that John worked with city staff to ensure that Phase IIbrwould be built without asking Southlake residents to footbrthe bill. He had a strong vision for our city parks and youbrcan see his influence in dozens of our parks.”br
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So while we celebrate the opening of The MarqbrSouthlake and reflect on the growth and improvementbrof the area's parks and outdoor spaces, we at SouthlakebrStyle would also like to celebrate John Terrell as our 7thbrannual Community Impact Award winner. It's an honorbrmost deserved.
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Some notable achievements of John Terrell,brour 2015 Community Impact Award winner.
Some notable achievements of John Terrell,brour 2015 Community Impact Award winner.Served as a city leader inbrSouthlake for 16 years. Served as Mayor of Southlakebrfrom 2009 to 2015.
Appointed to Southlake's Zoning Boardbrof Adjustment in 1999 and to the Plan-brning and Zoning Commission in 2000br
Helped set up the Crime ControlbrProtection District (CCPD) taxbrthat paid for new DPS facilitiesbr
Added more than 11 miles of newbrsidewalks and trails to Southlakebr
Helped lead the charge for TexasbrRangers Miracle League Fieldbr
Was a driving force behind thebrdevelopment of The Marq
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PARK FAST FACTS
In 1992, Southlake had 14 acres ofbrparkland, all in Bicentennial Park.
At that time, the recommendedbrpark acreage per 1,000 residentsbrwas six to 10.
This number then changed to 21bracres per 1,000 residents – almostbrdouble the regional standard.
Today, the city has 1,205 acres ofbrparks and open spaces.
Concept plans are currently in placebrfor the following city parks:br
Bicentennial Park
Bob Jones ParkbrChesapeake Park
The Cliffs Park
Coker Hike and Bike ParkbrGateway Parkbr
Haven Park
Johnson Place ParkbrKirkwood-Sabre Linear ParkbrKoalaty Park
Liberty Park at SheltonwoodbrLonesome Dove Park
Noble Oaks Park
North Park
Oak Pointe Park
Royal and Annie Smith Park
Southlake Sports Complex.