The overview
Officials cut the ribbon on the first two of nine total planned phases for the nature area, which officials hope will help promote eco-tourism, Community Impact previously reported.
Saldaña described the first couple of phases as the “first impression.” A pavilion, park, open space and entry monuments are some of what is included. As a nature center, plants, insects and wildlife are also incorporated.
“We spent a lot of time on the wildlife, the plants, the insects,” Saldaña said. “How can we enhance the area? It was a very detailed, involved process.”
Those first two phases broke ground in September and cost around $1 million, Saldaña said.
Saldaña said the park’s purpose is to serve as a place where residents and nearby locals can escape to nature in an ever-developing area.
“That corridor at Hwy. 96 and Hwy. 146 is one of the hottest growing corridors in the region,” he said. “To be able to provide the residents and surrounding communities with a space they can be in nature, within all that development is invaluable.”
The background
The land at 1860 Park Oaks St., Kemah, sits behind Saldaña’s home. In 2009, he said he was looking to get answers as to what the city was planning to do with the spot.
After attending a Kemah Community Development Corporation meeting, he was appointed to the board and said he took it upon himself to make the land a priority.
Fast forward to 2024—which, in that time, saw Saldaña elected to City Council, new administrations and shifting priorities—and the park broke ground in September.
The cost
Saldaña said the project has nine phases ostensibly planned, which leaves seven left to carry out. The plan is to complete one phase per year with an annual budget of $500,000.
However, some factors could change that. A possible $750,000 grant from the city could speed up work, but future leaders on the KCDC could also opt against certain phases or amenities.
In the meantime, the current plan calls for several additional amenities, according to Kemah’s website. Those include:
- A boardwalk over the wetlands
- No-mow wildflower mix and native grasses
- Wildlife and learning features
