Emerald Park

Park naming

Thank you to everyone who submitted suggestions for a fitting name for the Town of Castle Rock’s newest neighborhood park being constructed at a site, formerly known as Plum Creek North Park, adjacent to the Plum Creek Golf Club. Nearly 500 open-ended suggestions and 230 naming preferences were received. Among the suggestions and preferences, Emerald Park emerged as a top choice.

A Town staff naming committee reviewed all of the input and recommended to the Parks and Recreation Commission that the park be named Emerald Park or a variant thereof. The Commission unanimously supported this selection on Oct. 18 and Town Council approved a resolution to formally adopt the name Emerald Park on Nov. 7.

Project background

In 2019, Town Council approved the purchase of 7.6 acres from Southwest Greens for the purpose of future park development. Just north of Emerald Drive, the site sits adjacent to the Plum Creek Golf Club. Due to the conditions of the park's amenities upon purchase resulting from extensive deferred maintenance, the aging features were removed to prepare the site for future construction. Removed amenities included tennis courts, pool, pool structures, a pavilion and the playground. Once demolition was complete, contractor AGISI Environmental Services backfilled the area with soil and applied native seed.

Throughout 2020 and 2021, landscape architect DHM Design Corporation gathered public feedback and met with department staff to assess the needs and wants to plan the future park site. DHM then drafted a master plan and surveyed the public on the design; public input was favorable. The plan for Plum Creek North includes replacing the parking lot and adding walkway lighting, half-court basketball, a pavilion, a four-season restroom, playgrounds serving youth 2 to 5 years old and 5 to 12 years old, as well as pickleball courts and yard games.

In June 2023, Town Council approved a construction contract with Colorado Designscapes Inc., for park development. Work commenced in summer 2023, with anticipated completion in 2024.

This project will be funded through the Parks and Recreation Capital Fund generated by impact fees charged to developers to help ensure that growth pays for growth.

Project update fall 2023

Colorado Designscapes mobilized on site in July 2023 and has since completed site demolition, including the removal of invasive vegetation. The contractor is now actively working on grading and installing sanitary and storm utilities. Once wet utilities are complete, Designscapes will put in electric and prepare the site for concrete form placement.