Celina council members supported replacing natural grass with synthetic turf on two athletic fields at Wilson Creek Park after the city received permission to pump substantially less groundwater than it requested.

Parks Director Steve Walsh presented the options at the Sept. 8 City Council meeting. The meeting transcript identifies approximately $8 million as a preliminary estimate for converting both fields. Council members favored that option, but the discussion did not include a formal spending authorization.

Groundwater permit falls short of request

The city initially sought permission from the North Texas Groundwater Conservation District to pump 48 million gallons annually for irrigation. District staff reduced the request to 32 million gallons, and the board ultimately permitted 9.1 million.

The approved amount is about 19% of the original request. Walsh said it would support approximately half an inch of irrigation weekly for 35 weeks on one field, making natural-grass maintenance difficult during dry conditions.

The city’s Wilson Creek Park page describes an approximately 100-acre, $50 million project at the intersection of future Sunset Boulevard and Roseland Parkway. Planned amenities include athletic fields, pickleball courts, trails, playgrounds and a disc golf course.

Cost and schedule remain preliminary

Walsh estimated five to six months for turf design and construction. The city’s project page still lists fall 2026 as the projected first-phase completion date; an updated opening date was not confirmed in the reviewed materials.

He estimated that turf would need replacement after 10–12 years, at 50%–66% of the initial cost. For an $8 million conversion, that would amount to approximately $4 million–$5.3 million.

Walsh said synthetic turf would reduce routine maintenance and allow play to resume sooner after rain.

Residents can follow project updates through the city’s Wilson Creek Park website.