An action plan included in Tomball’s draft parks, recreation and trails master plan outlines $108 million in projects, including purchasing new properties for parks as well as revitalizing and enhancing existing parks.
The draft of the parks master plan was presented to Tomball City Council during its Feb. 5 meeting. It will be formally adopted at a future meeting, according to the agenda packet.
How we got here
City Council first authorized the creation of the master plan in December 2022, approving a professional services agreement with Four and One LLC for $149,600. Last February, a focus group was approved, and in April, the city held an open house to collect feedback and comments about Tomball’s parks, recreation and trails.
Zooming in
The $108 million in proposed projects includes:
- Exploring options for purchasing property north of the Wayne Stovall Sports Complex
- Purchasing new park properties on the south side of Holderrieth Road and on the west side of Tomball
- Revitalizing the Depot Plaza, Juergens Park, the Wayne Stovall Sports Complex and Broussard Park
- Enhancing Jerry Matheson Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park and the Theis Attaway Nature Center
The master plan outlined potential funding sources for the proposed projects, which could include:
- Local government funds
- Grants
- Public-private partnerships
- Other partnerships with Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District and Centerpoint
- Bond issuance
- Park dedication and development fees
- “Friends Of” associations
The master plan also inventoried each city of Tomball park and outlined recommendations. Click on the markers on the map below to see some of the recommendations for each park.
Survey says
As part of the master plan, a focus group of 15 community members was formed and included members such as Amanda Kelly with the Tomball Farmers Market; Jeanne Foster with Tomball Little League; and Kelly Violette, the executive director of the Tomball Economic Development Corp.
A survey was also launched for the master plan, which saw 472 responses received between April 1-May 15, 2023.
- 90% of people surveyed live in Tomball, with 52% of respondents having lived in Tomball for six or more years
- 99% said they supported the idea of enhancing or improving Tomball parks, trails or recreational facilities
- 93% said they feel there is a need for additional park amenities in Tomball
- 78% said they are in support of a new park
- 67% of respondents have children or grandchildren involved in sports organizations at Tomball parks
According to the survey, the Wayne Stovall Sports Complex, Jerry Matheson Park and Juergens Park were the most visited parks. The least visited parks were Martin Luther King Jr. Park and the Theis Attaway Nature Center.
What they’re saying
During the Feb. 5 council meeting, several council members and city staff members discussed the master plan draft.
- “I think any goal where [people in] this town can walk everywhere in the city limits is a good goal,” Mayor Lori Klein Quinn said.
- “The uphill battle is going to be the budget,” council member Mark Stoll said. “I’m all for this [plan]. I think it will be great for our community.”
- “There is a tremendous amount of ideas and a lot of projects that are recommended here,” City Manager David Esquivel said. “The approach that we’re going to take is we’re going to take and look and try to prioritize some of those. ... We’ve got to take it in little small chunks and little bites.”
What else?
The master plan also included a 10-minute walk analysis. The 10-Minute Walk is an initiative by the Trust for Public Land that aims to ensure every person in an urban area has access to a park or green space within a 10-minute walk, according to the master plan.
- 22% of Tomball residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park
- 61% of Houston residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park
This master plan will serve as a guiding document for the city for the next 10-15 years, according to the plan. Below is a general summary of its recommendations.
- Improve downtown parks and trails
- Implement a parks dedication and development ordinance
- Create park design guidelines
- Create conceptual design plans for each existing park
- Create a detailed cost/budget plan for each existing park
- Create standards for park maintenance
- Create design guidelines or standards for signage
- Acquire and retain dedicated city staff to focus on capital improvement projects, operations and maintenance of Tomball’s parks
Stay tuned
City Council will adopt this master plan at a future meeting. View the presentation of the parks master plan from the Feb. 5 meeting below.
