Wright City is taking a big step in its plans to develop 62 acres into the city’s largest public park.

City aldermen on Oct. 24 gave their blessing to a proposal from Bax Engineering to draft a master plan and detailed phase one drawings for a park at Westwoods Road and Wildcat Drive.

Wright City purchased land for the park in 2018 for about $1.2 million. Money for the purchase and for future development came from the sale of the city’s water and sewer utilities for $10.5 million.

Engineering services will add $233,000 to the tally, according to the proposal submitted by Bax Engineering. The city’s board of aldermen will have to approve a formal agreement for the services, which likely will happen in November.

Initial plans for the park will include at least one full-size baseball field and full-size soccer field, along with other fields of varying sizes, according to the engineering proposal. The exact number will depend on topography surveys to be conducted by Bax and other “subconsultant” engineering firms.

The first phase of development would also include a 2,500-feet extension of Wildcat Drive northward across the length of the park. It would intersect with another new road along the northern boundary of the park connecting neighborhoods to the east and west.

A pavilion, restrooms, lighting, parking and utilities would all be included in engineering for the initial phase of development. Plans also will include the water, sewer and electric utilities to serve the park.

Most of the early development will be limited to the southern area of the park. Future development, including playgrounds, more athletic fields, pavilions and walking trails, will be outlined in a master plan also to be done by Bax Engineering.

Several amenities would be designed to be ADA accessible, Bax said in its proposal. To reduce disturbance to nearby neighborhoods, trees on the heavily wooded property would be left in the plans as buffer zones between the park and residences.

Wooded hiking trails could also be part of the design in sections less suited for further development.

Wright City Mayor Dan Rowden said engineers are starting with input from city residents that was offered during two public forums in 2018. The engineering plans will also be open to public feedback.

Rowden said budgeting for park development will begin in 2020, including for the engineering services.