Communities now have increased access to new green space and trail amenities as part of
Bayou Greenways 2020
HOUSTON, TX – September 8, 2020 – Houston Parks Board and Houston Parks and Recreation Department are pleased to announce new completions along Greens and Sims Bayou Greenways as part of the Bayou Greenways 2020 project.
“We are proud to continue our progress on Bayou Greenways 2020 and open these new spaces along Greens Bayou and Sims Bayou,” said Beth White, President and CEO of Houston Parks Board. “The past few months have highlighted just how important it is for communities to have access to parks, trails, and public green space where they can safely relax, recharge, and connect with nature.”
Greens Bayou Greenway: Thomas Bell Foster Park to Normandy Street
In January, construction began on a new .48-mile segment of Greens Bayou Greenway to connect Thomas Bell Foster Park to Normandy Street. The new linear park includes the addition of a 10-foot wide concrete multi-use trail and access to nearly 14 acres of green space along Greens Bayou Drive. Notable new features include a renovated kayak launch improving access to Greens Bayou and a mid-block crossing on Normandy Street with flashing beacons, and pedestrian crosswalk signage and striping.
Additional improvements include new seating areas, signage, trash cans and recycling bins. The Houston Parks Board Conservation & Maintenance team is continuing work in this area to grow native grasses and plant species.
“The City of Houston Parks Department vision is to create a park system that is equitable and balanced for people of all abilities ages, and socio-economic levels,” said Steve Wright, Director Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “We thank all our partners who assist us in improving parks, both large and small, for all Houstonians.”
Sims Bayou Greenway: Trailhead at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Airport Boulevard
In August 2019, construction began on a new park and trailhead along Sims Bayou Greenway at the northeast corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Airport Boulevard. The new trailhead was built on land purchased by Houston Parks Board, and funding for design and construction was secured through a partnership with the Gulfgate Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 8.
Improvements to green space and surrounding intersections include a small parking lot with solar lighting, seating areas, picnic tables, signage, trash cans and recycling bins, and widened pacer crosswalks and gateways to improve connectivity to Sims Bayou Greenways and the surrounding neighborhood. The Houston Parks Board Conservation & Maintenance team is continuing efforts to establish prairie grasses through native plantings both within the trailhead site and in the medians along MLK Boulevard and Airport Boulevard.
“Completion of this quality-of-life amenity is another example of TIRZ 8 and its partners working collaboratively for the public good,” board chairman M.E. “Sonny” Garza said. “Investing local tax dollars at the neighborhood level shows how the TIRZ model is supposed to work and helping to expand Bayou Greenways is icing on the cake.”
All completions are part of Bayou Greenways 2020, a public-private partnership between the nonprofit Houston Parks Board, the City of Houston and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. The initiative is implemented in close collaboration with the Harris County Flood Control District, which manages the county’s bayous and creeks for drainage and flood risk reduction.
Houston Parks Board, Houston Texas
For photos of the new segments, please click here. Photos courtesy of Houston Parks Board.