Hamilton Creek playscape reopens as flood recovery progresses
Hamilton Creek Park was one of several public spaces hit with damage by the July 4 floods. Staff photo by Caden Senn
The Hamilton Creek Park playscape reopened on Monday, March 2, after months of closure due to damage sustained in the Fourth of July flooding in the summer of 2025.
“Our city crews have been hard at work giving the Hamilton Creek Park playscape a little post-flood TLC,” reads a Facebook post from the city of Burnet. “They’re making sure everything is safe, sturdy, and ready for lots of climbing, sliding, and laughing. The playground will be back in action starting Monday, March 2.”
Hamilton Creek Park, at W. Jackson Street, was one of many public areas damaged in the flooding.
City Manager David Vaughn told DailyTrib that the Galloway-Hammond ballfields, near the YMCA of the Highland Lakes, had taken first priority in repairs as they serve as the location of many early-year sporting leagues. Once those repairs had been made, the city shifted over to Hamilton Creek Park.
Lighting, electrical, and bridge work are still on the to-do list of repairs at the park.
“The (repair cost) numbers I’ve seen are $600,000 to $800,000 worth of damage for all the lighting and things that have to happen down there,” Vaughn told DailyTrib. “We’re going to start taking those projects on now, and trying to make a little more progress on that.”
These repairs reflect a broader reconstruction process in the city that has been ongoing for over half a year. Burnet officials have worked closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on reimbursement and repair efforts, but the city still faces a long road ahead before full recovery.