Grapevine has a new parks and recreation director.
Trent Kelley took the department reins August 7, about a month out from his 25th anniversary with the city.
He told KERA that Grapevine has been a great place to him and his family.
"We love this community and I really am so thankful to have the opportunity for 25 years to serve," he said. "I'm just looking forward to continuing to enhance what we have to offer the residents of this community."
Kelley most recently spent four years as the department's deputy director. He replaces outgoing director Chris Smith, who is retiring after 29 years with the city.
Kelley and his team have a few different projects in the works, including wrapping up their Open Space Master Plan, which City Manager Bruno Rumbelow described in a 2025 memo as a "strategic roadmap for investing in parks, programs, and facilities, ensuring they meet current and future community needs."
The city most recently developed a parks master plan in 2018. Per Rumbelow's memo, that version's recommendations have since been implemented or become outdated based on changes to community needs, resources available and industry trends.
Kelley said the new master plan will be completed within the next few months.
His team will also work on the second phase of Settlers Park, renamed from the Silver Lake Park project.
Kelley pointed to the natural, spring-fed lake, elevated boardwalk and education pavilion as highlights of Settlers Park.
"It's one of those places that's kind of an oasis," he said. "There's so much urban sprawl going on around you, but then there's this natural area right in the middle that not a lot of people know about."
Kelley was a part of the design team behind The REC, a large, multigenerational community center opened in 2015. He said his team is in the design development stage of the center's second expansion.
Kelley will oversee the department as it continues to work with neighboring cities on boosting trail connectivity.
"That's something that we're always looking at," he said. "How can we better connect the residents of our communities to each other, where travel outside of automobiles is possible for everyone?"
Kelley is an alumnus of the University of North Texas.
Got a tip? Email Andy Lusk at alusk@kera.org.
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