A half-mile walking loop behind the Colleyville Senior Center has been transformed into what city officials are calling a living tree museum, now home to newly planted trees. The Texas Tree Trail sits on nine acres behind the senior center at 2512 Glade Road, bordering O.C. Taylor Elementary School, and it already includes a paved walking loop along with a World War II memorial that long predates the new plantings.
From City Council Pitch to Planted Loop
The idea traces back to a proposal from city beautification staff working alongside the Colleyville Tree Board, according to Colleyville Parks & Recreation. City staff member Joe Flynn proposed turning the existing walking loop into an educational tree trail, and the Tree Board prioritized the site and worked with beautification staff on the concept. The project received enthusiastic support at an October 2025 work-session presentation; the council's first step toward planting came on Jan. 6, 2026, when it approved the planting agreement. Ground work began in early 2026, per the parks department's project page.
Money followed quickly. In January, the council approved an $89,600 agreement with Smith Lawn and Tree to plant 42 larger trees behind the senior center, as reported by Community Impact. That agreement covered oak, elm, magnolia, cypress, pine and maple trees, and it drew on a $125,000 allocation set aside for Phase 1 in the city's Capital Improvement Plan.
Two Phases Down, One to Go
Phase I installed those 42 larger, more substantial trees in February 2026, according to the parks department. Phase II followed in May with 64 flowering trees, including crape myrtles, Texas redbuds and Mexican buckeye, a mix the community news outlet detailed in its coverage of the council's April 21 meeting. Council members approved a little over $65,146 for that second phase of plantings, the outlet reported. Between the two completed phases, crews planted 42 larger trees and 64 flowering trees.
A third phase remains on the books. Per the parks department's project description, Phase III will install the remainder of the trees along the walking trail, and the full project was expected to take three to five years to complete when the city first detailed its timeline in January. Future phases could also bring additional landscaping, signage and lighting, the outlet has reported, while the city has previously floated plans for a patio and benches along the route.
Future Trail Plans
Future phases could include signage along the trail. The project is planned to continue in phases.
Longer-term ideas on the table include a patio and benches along the route.
