Humana Inc. CEO Bruce Broussard donated the land at Hufsmith and Zion roads to the city in 2014, and a playground was built in partnership with KaBoom! in 2015 on the site, as Community Impact Newspaper previously reported.
"But it really wasn't a park yet; it was a playground," City Manager Rob Hauck said during the Sept. 25 ribbon-cutting. "In late 2015, the city was awarded a significant grant from Texas Parks & Wildlife, and that really helped start this ball rolling."
Hauck said the city spent the next two years planning and designing the approximately 14-acre park. The park has since been under construction since 2018, he said, and work has included moving the entrance to align with Zion Road; adding soccer fields; installing utilities and lighting; and constructing a fishing pond and a pier, among other amenities.
Community Impact Newspaper reported in November 2019 that the former house on the property had been demolished to get the park fully operational. Now open, Broussard Park also includes a sensory cottage, playground equipment, trails installed in partnership with Harris County Precinct 4, exercise stations, restrooms, concessions, a wildflower meadow and enhanced signage.
Hauck also said the park's amenities are all compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"I know the family I bought [the land] from was the original family back in the 1800s that actually lived here, and I think they would be ecstatic to see that their farmland has been here for all this time," Broussard said.
The city of Tomball partnered with Harris County Precinct 4 to join Broussard Park with Precinct 4's neighboring Mathews Park last fall, sharing services and trail-building for the parks, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported. As well as sharing services for the park, Precinct 4 also celebrated the opening of Broussard Park with the planting of historic seedlings as part of its Legacy Trees Project to plant trees with historic roots from across the state, Precinct 4 officials said.
"Taxpayers love it when they see their community working together with their governments and their governments working together to benefit them," Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle said.
In addition, the city of Tomball has partnered with Houston Dynamo Dash Youth soccer club to use the soccer fields at the park.
"Beginning next week, actually, we'll start some practices here," Technical Director Don Gimmell said. "We're estimating between 500 and 1,000 people coming here next Saturday, so that's exciting for us. ... We hope with the growth of our programming and partnering with the city of Tomball [that] not only the great recreational programs [can we] work with you, but also ... the economic impact of some of the events that we can come to and be a part of."
