Mayor Applauds New Park Space
Today, Mayor White joined the Houston Parks Board in announcing the acquisition of 27 parcels of land, valued at $1.2 million, which will be used to create recreational parkland along Brays Bayou in the East End neighborhood. In addition to purchasing the land, the Houston Parks Board, a 501(c)3 organization, will oversee the improvement of the property, which includes the construction of trails for hiking and jogging.
“Adding to Houston’s park space is a priority, making our available space work together increases the benefit,” Mayor White said. “Partnerships among the City, County, Parks Board and others are one of the best ways we have to make that happen.”
Once the improvements are in place, Brays Greenway will officially open as a new park, owned and managed for the City by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. The newly acquired parkland is adjacent to property owned and maintained by the Harris County Flood Control District along the south side of Brays Bayou, and connects to the southern boundary of Mason Park, which in turn connects to Gus Wortham Park. The result will be a beautiful park stretching approximately 3 miles between Broadway at the Houston Ship Channel and Lawndale at Gus Wortham Park.
“Houston’s bayous have the potential to become beautiful welcoming greenways that wind through our neighborhoods. The Houston Parks Board is looking for opportunities to develop parks along the bayous, and hopefully we will be successful in developing many more parks like Brays Greenway,” said Tom Bacon, Chairman of the Houston Parks Board.
The Brays Greenway is one of several new parks recently made possible by Houston Parks Board’s “Parks for Houston” campaign. The campaign's top contributors include the Houston Endowment, Wortham Foundation, Brown Foundation, and Cullen Foundation. Additional support was provided by the Strategic Partner Trust for Public Land which, along with Congressman Gene Green, was instrumental in securing federal funds that were used in part on the Brays acquisition.
The Houston Parks Board thanked the Harris County Flood Control District for being a strategic partner in the Brays Greenway project.
“This is a great example of public and private partnership,” said Roksan Okan-Vick, Executive Director of the Houston Parks Board. “The Flood Control District is making major flood prevention improvements along Brays Bayou, which results in lovely greenspace along the edge of the bayou. The Houston Parks Board has acquired additional land, adjacent to the Flood Control easement, essentially doubling the amount of greenspace for a mile of the bayou frontage. The City of Houston will ultimately own and manage the property and the improvements that will turn it into a great park for the neighborhoods here in the East End. We are very thankful to our partners and our donors.”
With the Houston Parks Board’s ongoing efforts, Brays Greenway will continue to meander along the Bayou connecting the existing parks and expanding Houston’s park system in the most effective way.
“Brays Greenway is an example of the types of interconnectivity that we’ve been working to establish throughout our park system,” said Joe Tuner, director of Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “The bayou trail system not only expands our parkland but also gives us great transportation corridors that encourage all of us to get out into nature and get healthy.”
In partnership with groups like Park People, the Houston Parks Board will be raising funds to build trails along the Brays Greenway. The Houston Parks Board will also work closely with the Greater East End District and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department to include interpretive signs along the greenway, highlight its historic significance and featuring industry along the bayou such as the major recycling facility located near the new greenway.
