Fundraising for Memorial Park

The West 11th Street Park isn't the only park getting attention this week. So is Memorial Park.

City officials and local parks advocates Tuesday launched a $10 million fundraising campaign for a new running trail, expanded tennis facilities, a pedestrian bridge and other amenities at Memorial Park.

These improvements and others are included in a master plan for the park approved by the City Council in 2004. Proposals to move ball fields and the tennis center out of the park to put more focus on its natural areas, included in an earlier version of the plan, were dropped after an outcry from groups that use those facilities.

Leaders of the Memorial Park Conservancy, a nonprofit group that works to protect and improve the park, said they hoped to raise the money and start work on the improvements in the next three to five years.

"We're excited about getting people excited about the park," said Stephen Costello, the conservancy's board chairman. "There's a significant jewel here in the city."

The new running trail on the south side of Memorial Drive, he said, will complement the Seymour Lieberman trail on the north, one of the most popular running spots in Houston.

The two trails will be connected by the pedestrian bridge, which would also be used by pedestrians and bicyclists.

This sounds great. The pedestrian bridge in particular is a fine idea. I look forward to seeing the end result of this.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 21, 2008 to Elsewhere in Houston