The Town of Parker will be seeing landscaping and design updates as the town council approved design improvements for O’Brien Park and improvements for public access to Ray J. Harvie Open Space. 

Town council unanimously approved a site plan amendment for O’Brien Park to make landscaping and urban design improvements on the west, south and east sides of the park.

O’Brien Park, located on the northeast corner of Parker Road and Mainstreet, is 10.67 acres of land. Amenities at the park currently include a gazebo, playground, pool complex and ballfield. 

To better integrate the park into the downtown area and enhance the aesthetic of the area, improvements to the west side of the park will include cut stones, quarts and steel panels, similar to what is used at the PACE Center.

On the south side of the park, the town plans to improve the Mainstreet frontage by removing the current fence adjacent to the street and installing landscaping and hardscaping elements. This design will also guide pedestrians to the Mainstreet and Victorian Drive intersection. 

The east side of the park, which fronts Victorian Drive, will see additional landscaping and hardscape elements. 

In addition to taking out some of the bluegrass turf, this project aims to reduce water consumption, according to Bryce Matthews, planning assistant director. 

“It’s a longtime coming,” said Councilmember Joshua Rivero. “We’ve wanted to get rid of that pedestrian safety fence for a while. We want to do some natural landscaping and beautification.”

The council also approved the site plan for public access and improvements for the Ray J. Harvie Open Space. 

Harvie Open Space is a 71.06-acre parcel located at the intersection of Canterberry Parkway and Mainstreet, and is undeveloped and preserved as open space through the Douglas Land Conservancy. 

The land easement intends to protect the character of open space as well as natural resource values of the property. 

In 2017 the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department gathered input from the residents about what improvements would be acceptable in the future. Town council then approved the department's conceptual master plan for the open space in 2018. 

According to the 2035 master plan, Ray J. Harvie Open Space is within a medium density residential area.

“This was a medium density area that we are now turning into open space and giving back to the community, so that’s just fantastic,” said Councilmember Brandi Wilks. 

The site plan states improvements will enable public access to the open space which will include a looped walking path with educational features, a vault restroom, covered seating and an off-street gravel parking lot. 

In addition, the improvements will include 16 new pine trees and about 30 rabbit brush that will be maintained through a drip irrigation system. The project hopes to be completed by the end of the year. 

According to Matthews, the closet a trail will get to a residential home is 385 feet, which includes the backyard. 

The planning commission asked the town council to approve the plan with one condition, all trash receptacles in the Harvie Open Space shall be wildlife proof. 

In other business, the town council approved the second replacement intergovernmental agreement between the Town of Parker and Town of Foxfield for municipal court services.