Houston kicks off $60M neighborhood parks upgrades
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The groundbreaking ceremony at Lawrence Park Thursday. Photo: Scott Julian, courtesy of HPB
Construction has begun on Lawrence Park in the Heights, kickstarting a $60 million public-private initiative to improve 25 parks across Houston.
Why it matters: Officials say Let's Play Houston is the largest investment in neighborhood parks in the city's history.
- The city of Houston is spending $11 million toward the effort.
Driving the news: The Houston Parks Board and Mayor John Whitmire broke ground Thursday on improvements to Lawrence Park, a neighborhood park near the MKT Trail.
- The roughly $2 million project will add playground equipment, improve access to the park and to the MKT Trail, and add a fitness area and paved plaza with seating and water detention.
Between the lines: Houston, which has over 180 neighborhood parks, ranks 69th among the nation's 100 largest cities for its park system, according to Trust for Public Land's 2026 ParkScore index, which looks at acreage, access, investment, amenities and park space equity.
- Houston scores relatively low (35/100) on park investment, with $137 in total park spending per resident compared to $154 across the 100 largest cities, per the study.
Flashback: 23 neighborhood parks had already been improved through a similar funding model in 2024. Let's Play Houston expands on that success.
What's next: Greenwood, Andover, Haviland and Montie Beach parks are also entering construction soon.
- Houston Parks Board is managing the projects, including community engagement, design and construction.
- See all the parks and their stages here.