The end of 2013 saw the opening of several park and trail projects in the Cy-Fair area, and more projects are planned heading into 2014. Harris County precincts 3 and 4 have both made park development an objective as Cy-Fair continues to see residential growth and more people looking for outdoor recreational opportunities.
"As development in our area continues, it only becomes more important that we stay mindful of how we manage our open space," Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle said at a presentation on the Cypress Creek Greenway. "Land that can be developed is increasingly limited, and what we are hearing from people is that having these spaces—whether they are for biking, wildlife or just enjoying the outdoors—is very important."
Maxwell Park opened in late summer of 2013 on Maxwell Road featuring trails, picnic tables and hundreds of trees. Horsepen Creek Park also opened in January at West and Barker Cypress roads, featuring a large lake and a dog park.
At the same time, trail development continues along the Cypress Creek and Spring Creek greenways with the help of groups such as the Cypress Creek Greenway Coalition and Bayou Land Conservancy, as well as area MUDs and development companies.
"With all the miles of trail we are trying to cover, this is not something we can do on our own," said Jim Robertson, chairman of the Cypress Creek Greenway Coalition. "There are a number of developers—Bridgeland, Towne Lake, Fairfield—that have looked at how parks improve activity internally in their developments, which is something we've been trying to encourage. A number of MUDs in that corridor have also successfully passed parks and trails bond issues. All of this has been a real plus."
Precinct 3 projects
New multiuse parks in Precinct 3 such as Horsepen, Maxwell and the upcoming Cypress—which will open at the intersection of N. Eldridge and Pine Drive in the summer of 2014—are expected to become established recreation spots, said Mike McMahan, precinct 3 special activity coordinator.
"We want these to be parks where families can bring their kids for a birthday party or groups can gather for lunch," he said. "We hear from residents that having parks and greenspace is important, and we would be remiss not to keep looking for ways to create these elements where we can."
Other ongoing projects include a 7-acre dog park expected to open at Meyer Park in Precinct 4 by the end of March. The park will include trails and a 2.6-acre pond.
Work is also starting on the 190-acre Langham Creek Park and community center near Yaupon Ranch off Greenhouse Road. The center—featuring a library, warming kitchen and lounges—is under construction and expected to be finished in July.
"If everything falls into place as far as flood control and getting the project environmentally cleared, our goal is to have the western portion of the park opening along with the community center mid-summer," McMahan said. "We expect that we'll soon be ready to develop some portions of the park on the west side of Langham Creek."
Harris County Commissioners Court approved funding for Anderson Trail—from Grant to Cypresswood Drive—at its Dec. 17 meeting. The hike and bike trail is one of several planned projects that will be built with financial help from a municipal utility district. MUD 9 contributed $75,000, and a grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife added another $200,000.
Cypress Creek Greenway
The concept of the Cypress Creek Greenway—a series of connected hike and bike trails along Cypress Creek from Hwy. 290 to Spring Creek—was launched by Robertson in 2004. Since that time, private and public entities have developed more than 24 parks and 10 separate trail systems.
The CCG initiative involves linking trails along the 40-mile-long Cypress Creek into one continuous trail. The actual project involves creating trails, anchor parks and building bridges to fill in gaps from Hwy. 290 to the Jesse H. Jones Park at the Spring Creek Greenway.
The project continued to gain traction after a 2013 study—carried out by market research group CDS Spillette Alliance and real estate and planning firm Marsh Darcy Partners—found both economic and environmental incentives for the greenway. A survey of 600 residents along Cypress Creek found 74 percent are very supportive of the greenway, while another 61 percent have expressed a willingness to get involved, said Jen Powis, advocacy director with the Houston Parks Board.
"There is a lot of support for this concept, not only from communities, but from businesses as well," she said.
Following the release of the study, more pieces have fallen into place along the creek, including several connecting trails around Bridgeland and Coles Crossing. Because of the size of the initiative, Cagle said it will continue to be completed piece by piece. The future of the project—in terms of where bridges will need to be built or where trails will need to be created—is subject to change depending on where MUDs and landowners are willing to help.
"One of the reasons you see us pursuing the little pieces of opportunity and the partnerships is because the funding is not there," Cagle said. "We can still have an impact for the overall benefit just by moving that ball down the road toward the big idea."
