Harris County Precinct 4

Translation

More than one million people attend functions at Precinct 4 park facilities each year.

Click here for a list of opportunities for scout and community projects.

To follow is a list of current and future park projects in Precinct 4’s vast parks system:

Precinct 4 is in the process of selectively clearing five acres in Burroughs Park for the addition of a dog park, which is the first of its kind in Precinct 4’s vast parks system. This new amenity at Burroughs Park is currently pending funding.

In 2009, a new playground was installed and improvements completed in 2010 include a parking lot expansion and additional soccer fields.

Cypress Creek Greenway

Precinct 4 has partnered with local municipal and public utility districts, developers, landowners, and government agencies to develop trails that connect Precinct 4 parks along Cypress Creek.

This greenway project creates natural floodplain buffer zones that will protect the habitats of plants and wildlife, while also creating a linear trail system.

Cypress Forest Linear Park, Phase I

The Cypress Forest Public Utility District (PUD) is working to purchase land along Cypresswood Drive. A portion of this acreage would be used to create a linear park and trail that could eventually tie into future trails at the precinct’s Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve on the west and through completed trails at Meyer Park and Collins Park on the east.

Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve (Middle Cypress Creek)

Municipal Utility District (MUD) 468 donated this 81.80-acre tract of land with a 40-acre lake and natural surface trails to Harris County, in January 2009.

Currently in the engineering and design phase, plans for development include roadway access, parking areas, trails, fencing, utilities and communications infrastructure, rest room facilities, and a staff building. Phase I construction is pending completion of engineering services and funding.

Harris County Flood Control Department is in the process of installing erosion control measures along the banks of Cypress Creek, which should prevent the creek from eroding into the 40-acre lake.

The basketball pavilion at Doss Park was recently converted into a multiuse playground, sport court, and picnic facility complete with volleyball, four square, hopscotch, and chess/checker game boards inlaid into concrete picnic tables. Parents can watch the younger siblings play in the new pavilion from the baseball field bleachers or enjoy the shaded cover over a variety of playground amenities and games.

The entire baseball complex is undergoing a major lighting and electrical upgrade to all fields. Overhead wires will be replaced and installed underground, and more efficient lights on new tubular steel poles will be added. The project was enhanced by a $50,000 donation from Spring-Klein Sports Association.

Little Cypress Creek Preserve (LCCP): Harris County's first conservation easement property

This 58-acre preserve is the result of a public/private partnership between Precinct 4 and Bayou Land Conservancy (BLC). Together, Precinct 4 and BLC secured land mitigations from 10 separate developers to create this preserve that has 10 manmade shallow ponds that will mature to a wetland mitigation site.

Precinct 4 has installed fencing around the site to prevent further deterioration from previous four-wheeler activity. In conjunction with BLC and the Apache Foundation (the philanthropic unit of Apache Corporation), Precinct 4 has planted over 500 trees at the preserve.

Status: The preserve is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The preserve is staffed by BLC volunteers, and hiking is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays while off-road bicycling is allowed only on Sundays.

Eagle Scout projects at LCCP include amphitheater-style seating for an outdoor classroom, bird blind, benches, interpretive trails, and a kiosk at the front of the preserve that lists bird sightings, nature tours, and other activities/projects planned for the preserve.

Lindsay/Lyons Park

In 2010, 120 new parking spaces were added to the northwest corner of the soccer complex. These additional spaces allow easy access to the baseball, football, soccer, and softball fields. The Be An Angel playground at Lindsay/Lyons Park was also expanded to include play equipment and a learning center for wheelchair-bound children and toddlers.

Matzke Park

The Association for Better Community Schools (ABCS) and Be An Angel Fund Inc. partnered to raise funds for a barrier-free playground at Matzke Park. Construction of the second and final phase of the barrier-free playground was complete in April of 2010.

In 2010, Precinct 4 also completed the construction of a new parks staff/rest room/storage building and parking lot on the northwest corner of the park, as well as adding lighting along the paved walking trail, covered bleachers, and another small pavilion.

Spring Creek Greenway (SCG)

The potential for this 40-mile corridor is the result of the combined efforts of Harris County Precinct 4 and Montgomery County Precinct 3. In 2005, Texas Parks & Wildlife awarded a $1 million Regional Grant to be split equally between the precincts for development of this project.

Precinct 4 used their portion of the grant to develop Pundt Park, which included the construction of two trailheads: one at Pundt Park and the other at Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center.

The precinct is continuing its aggressive campaign to acquire property that fronts Spring Creek between Interstate 45 and Highway 59.

Judy Overby Bell Trail (Phase I of the connective trail system)

This 1.1-mile trailhead begins in Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center and will eventually tie in with the Phase II trail through Stahl Preserve to Pundt Park.

Phase II connective trail system

Funded in part through a $1.5 million matching grant awarded by Texas Parks & Wildlife, Phase II of the SCG project is currently in the engineering, design, and permitting stage. Anticipated to go out for public bid in the first quarter of 2011, Phase II construction includes a $1 million bridge and 5.5-mile paved trail that will complete a 7.5-mile trail between Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center and Pundt Park.

Pine Tree Park

Pine Tree Park, the former YMCA complex at Riley Fuzzel Road and the Hardy Toll Road, was added to Precinct 4’s parks inventory in 2009. Remodeling of the current amenities is under design and the facility should open to the public in 2012. This facility will also serve as the precinct’s new Parks Department headquarters.

Stahl Preserve

Located adjacent to Pundt Park, this pristine 146-acre preserve features several wetland ponds and sand beaches along Spring Creek. Future construction of a hike and bike trail will connect the preserve to Pundt Park and Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center. Currently, equestrian trails at Stahl Preserve allow riders access to the trails heading east along Spring Creek.

Equestrian Trails

Precinct 4 is developing equestrian trails from lower Cypress Creek heading west up the Spring Creek corridor. Turkey Creek Park has become a favorite riding area along Cypress Creek, while Pundt Park is becoming a very popular equestrian launch site for riders using the trails heading east along Spring Creek.

Creek Course Park (Off of Cypresswood Drive)
Cypress Creek Site 6 (I-45 at Cypress Creek)
Cypress Creek Site 7 (Kuykendahl Road at Cypress Creek)
East Hardy Park (Hardy Toll Road in Spring)
Rice Tract (Carl Road at Spring Creek)

Forging partnerships with other agencies such as municipal utility districts (MUDs), developers, community organizations, and public and private agencies has increased the level of public support Precinct 4 has received for park improvement projects.

As park bond funds are expended and tax dollars are stretched farther during this period of budget reductions in Harris County, we appreciate your comments and involvement as we move towards the common goal of improving the quality of life in Precinct 4.