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Community members joined HPB for a Walk & Talk at MacGregor Park to learn more about the upcoming improvements and construction timeline.
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On June 27, Houston Parks Board welcomed 120 community members to a Walk & Talk at MacGregor Park. Neighbors joined the design team for a tour of the park, learned more about the transformative renovation, and spoke with project managers about the exciting improvements across the entire park.
Park updates include:
- New state-of-the-art tennis complex with a new clubhouse, 18 tennis courts, and 8 pickleball courts
- New pool house with a dedicated community room
- An all-inclusive and heavily shaded playground
- Upgrades to the fitness center and existing basketball pavilion
- Addition of over 3,000 new trees, reducing health island impacts
- Over three miles of new walking trails and sidewalks
- Enhanced space to celebrate MLK, Jr. and Tree of Life Plaza
- Improved connections to the 55-mile Brays Bayou Greenway
Park closures will begin in mid-August, with construction scheduled to start by September.
Save the Date! Join us for a Last Day of Play celebration on Saturday, August 8, before construction begins, for family-friendly fun, free cold treats, and more.
MacGregor Park will undergo transformative improvements through a partnership between HPB, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and Kinder Foundation®.
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Open Call for Artists
Houston Parks Board is inviting experienced Houston-based artist teams to submit qualifications and creative concepts for a two-site public art project in MacGregor Park. Artists with connections to MacGregor Park, Third Ward, and neighboring communities are especially encouraged to apply.
The selected artworks will help honor the park’s rich history while deepening connections to the people and traditions that continue to shape its future. Qualifications must be submitted by July 28, 2026, at 7 p.m. CST.
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Let's Play Houston Park Pop-Up at Schwartz Park
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As July celebrates Parks and Recreation Month, HPB is proud to announce that we've reached an exciting milestone for Let's Play Houston, a collaborative initiative to revitalize 25 neighborhood parks. With community input gathered for each site, we're one step closer to creating vibrant, welcoming spaces that will serve their neighborhoods for generations to come.
Over the course of several months, HPB empowered community members to play an active role in shaping the future of their parks through park-specific surveys and a range of neighborhood events. Community engagement has been at the heart of Let’s Play Houston, ensuring that every park improvement reflects the needs and priorities of local residents.
Let’s Play Houston Engagement:
- 66 community engagement events across 25 parks
- More than 2,200 surveys completed
- More than 2,800 community members at park pop-ups and community listening sessions
- More than 6,500 total engagements
Thank you to the local civic organizations, city council district offices, and community members who support this initiative!
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Pets Play Houston
We loved meeting your furry friends at our Let's Play Houston Park Pop-Ups! 🐾
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Big things are growing at HPB's Coolgreen Nursery! Construction is now complete, and the nursery is already coming to life with more than 15,000 plants settling into their new home. Thanks to funding through a Watershed Grant supported by Restore America's Estuaries and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the nursery facility features covered, matted growing space to support plant propagation for up to 80,000 plants in the future. Coolgreen provides a reliable source of native plants that support healthier ecosystems and more resilient landscapes, increasing our capacity to restore and enhance habitats across the Bayou Greenways.
🌱🌎 As July 28 marks World Nature Conservation Day, we're proud to invest in projects that strengthen our natural resources and create lasting environmental benefits for generations to come.
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Join us at the nursery!
Family-friendly Coolgreen Upper Pond Planting (Saturday, July 11; 8 – 11 a.m.)
Help HPB improve a former golf course pond with thousands of native plants. Coolgreen Upper Pond is an essential wildlife habitat and home to many different animals.
Bayou Greenways Conservation Academy
Explore different Houston bayous, learn more about local flora and fauna, and build community through this low-cost adult education program. Registration begins in August.
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Houston Parks Board team members spent a weekend in Austin connecting with peers, sharing insights, and learning from industry leaders.
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In June, Senior Project Manager Lisa Graiff joined fellow park and accessibility leaders Michelle Colvard, Angel Ponce, and Peggy Turner to present at the biennial Greater & Greener conference, hosted by City Parks Alliance. During the session, "Disability Inclusion Is Not Extra, It's Essential!", she shared insights from Houston Parks Board's Disability-Inclusive Parks, Trails, and Playgrounds Best Practices Guide. The discussion highlighted strategies for creating parks and public spaces that are welcoming and accessible for people of all abilities.
Houston Parks Board is proud to contribute to these important conversations and bring new ideas back to Houston as we continue expanding access to inclusive parks and trails across the region.
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Thanks to a generous grant from CITGO, the HPB Conservation & Maintenance team transformed the River Drive Trailhead into a vibrant new pollinator habitat along the Bayou Greenways trails. After removing large areas of turf grass in September 2025, staff and volunteers came together the following month to plant 2,500 native grasses and wildflowers specially selected for Houston’s coastal ecosystems. Today, the landscape is flourishing with colorful native species.
Read this month’s blog from HPB Conservation Technician Lauren Berman to follow the journey of the River Drive Trailhead pollinator landscape from site preparation to a thriving habitat filled with native plants, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.
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- CW 39: Houston Parks Board seeks artists for MacGregor Park revamp. Read here.
- Glasstire: Open Call for Public Art in Houston’s MacGregor Park. Read here.
- Defender: Long-awaited park in Sunnyside opens after $30 million investment. Read here.
- The Architect’s Newspaper: SWA’s Houston studio completes Hill at Sims, a new park. Read here.
- Houston Chronicle: Houston could spend $11 million to upgrade 25 neighborhood parks. Read here.
- Community Impact Newspaper: Houston’s 5-year plan of projects is estimated to increase by $1.2B. Read here.
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