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Houston City Council approved $4 million for playground improvements at 11 parks around the city during the March 18 City Council meeting.
What this means
Three parks in District C will receive playground improvements by the end of 2026. Parks include Mangum Manor Park, Cleveland Park and Cherryhurst Park.
District C council member Abbie Kamin said these improvements, especially for Mangum Manor Park, are overdue.
“This is a park that is used daily by residents,” Kamin said. “Going back to 2023, the playground was condemned; it was deemed unsafe. The playground was, in effect, removed and what was left at Mangum Park was an empty field.”
After years of waiting, there will be a new playground at Mangum Manor Park by the end of 2026, she said. Kamin said she is asking that the playgrounds include shade structures but recognizes that it may be costly.
“Shade structures can cost upward of $50,000 to $100,000 alone,” she said. “It’s not only the cost of equipment going up—it’s how we design our playgrounds moving forward that we have to incorporate and include in those costs.”
Some background
The funding for the project is part of the Open Space Ordinance, which at-large council member Sallie Alcorn said should be spread out to all parks.
Part of the Open Space Ordinance includes collecting a fee whenever a developer receives a permit in any of the 21 park sectors in the city. Part of it goes to the Parks and Recreation Dedication Fund.
Since 2007, the city has collected over $100 million for the fund across the entire city. The funding has been used to acquire land and develop and improve park facilities to meet the needs of the city’s growing population, city officials said.
City Council is looking at increasing those funds and making 30% available to other park sectors where there may be disparities. Currently, the funding collected in a particular sector has to be spent there.
“There’s disparity in where the money goes,” Alcorn said. “Where there’s more development, you get more money and that makes your parks better. So to make this better, our administration is recommending we take 30% to spread that out.”
Park Sector 14, which includes District C, has raised the most of the funds at $21 million.
Who it's for
Other parks that will receive part of the approved $4 million funding include:
Playground improvements are expected to take place throughout the year.
