More than one million people attend functions at Precinct 4 park facilities each year.
"Taking exceptional care of Precinct 4’s parks is part of our attempt to develop strong family bonds.”
"If parents are taking their children to parks to play, whether it's for organized sports or just to enjoy the park, it's keeping them out of trouble."
—Commissioner Jerry Eversole
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:
Burroughs Park
Precinct 4 is currently exploring the possibility of adding its first dog park to its vast parks system. This new amenity at Burroughs Park is currently in the design phase and is pending funding.
In 2009, a new playground was installed, and improvements scheduled for 2010 include a parking lot expansion and soccer field.
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 258 acres of land along Cypresswood Drive. A portion of this acreage would be used to create a 9-acre 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.
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 Legacy Land Trust (LLT), a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting natural areas in the Houston region (www.llt.org). Together, Precinct 4 and LLT 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 LLT 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 LLT volunteers, and off-road bicycling is allowed only on Sundays; hiking is allowed only on Saturdays.
Eagle Scout projects at LCCP include amphitheater-style seating for an outdoor classroom 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 addition to a new parking lot that will accommodate the baseball, soccer, and softball fields, the Be An Angel playground at Lindsay/Lyons Park will be expanded to include play equipment for 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 is expected to be complete by mid-March (2010).
Early in 2010, Precinct 4 completed the construction of a new parks staff/rest room/storage building and parking lot on the northwest corner of the park. Future improvements include lighting along the paved walking trail, covered bleachers, and another small pavilion.
Spring Creek Greenway (SCG)
The potential for this 33-mile corridor is the result of the combined efforts of Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole and Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance. 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. The additional acreage will complete the connectivity of parkland and trail system along the planned 33-mile corridor.
Judy Overby Bell Trail (Phase I of the connective trail system)
Dedicated by Commissioner Jerry Eversole in 2009, this 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 be complete in 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
Camp Pine Tree, 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 underway and is expected to be complete within 18 months. The facility is expected to open to the public in the summer of 2012, and 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
Working with George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s (IAH) “Airport Rangers” program, Precinct 4 is developing equestrian trails from lower Cypress Creek heading west up the Spring Creek corridor.
Pundt Park is becoming a very popular equestrian launch site for riders using the trails heading east along Spring Creek.
Summary
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 rapid growth 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.