Government
BY HANNAH BROL & JESSICA SHORTEN
Harris County parks study looks to Spring Creek projects
Plans to expand trails along the Spring Creek Greenway are scheduled to move forward following this year’s release of the Harris County Precinct 3 Parks and Trails plan. According to the document, which outlines $125 million in new trail projects in a service area including the southernmost part of The Woodlands, the Spring Creek Greenway project will connect a trail spanning from Gosling Road to the Tomball Parkway in the next 20 years. “We needed a plan to connect residents with our amazing green spaces,” Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said. “Our population is expected to double by 2045, which means engineered solutions for green activity spaces are a must for future generations.” The existing Spring Creek Greenway trail system ends just east of Gosling Road in The Woodlands. Expansion projects in The Woodlands will take the trail west to Kuykendahl Road, according to the master plan.
Spring service area projects
1 Burroughs Park: Improve drainage, overlay dog parks, improve pedestrian access and
renovate restrooms 2 Rothwood Park
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Develop trailhead and add classrooms, a boardwalk system and shing pier Spring Creek Greenway System The trail will connect points on Kuykendahl Road and along Creekside Forest Drive across The Woodlands area. NOTE: THIS LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE AND ONLY INCLUDES THE WOODLANDS AREA WEST OF I45 AND EAST OF BURROUGHS PARK. PRECINCT 3’S SPRING SERVICE AREA ALSO INCLUDES AREAS SOUTH OF THE GRAND PARKWAY.
CREEKSIDE FOREST DR.
45
1
2
99 TOLL
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 3COMMUNITY IMPACT
What you should know
What they’re saying
What's next
The plan divides Precinct 3 into four areas: Cypress, Spring, Humble and Crosby, of which the Spring area contains portions of The Woodlands. Of the four areas, Spring has the lowest anticipated population growth at 59% by 2045. In addition to $125 million in trails projects, recommended parks projects in the Spring service area total nearly $44.2 million. These include new facilities, natural features and renovations, per plan documents. Among the funds slated for park renovations and improvements are several projects in The Woodlands area, including Rothwood Park o Gosling Road and Burroughs Park, located near Creekside Park West.
“The two closest parks in the plan to The Woodlands Township are Burroughs Park and the Spring Creek Greenway, for which we believe our collective residents have access to and will enjoy any improvements.” CHRIS NUNES, CHIEF
The master plan projects are on a 10-year timeframe but could be pushed back depending on economic and weather conditions, ocials said. The funding for the projects at Spring Creek will mostly be funded from the 2022 Harris County $1.2 billion bond package along with $5 million in joint funding from the township. Construction will be managed and overseen by Harris County, and The Woodlands is not expected to have any obligation besides the joint funding on the project, ocials said. Not included within the scope of the Harris County parks study but in the same region is a potential new South Gosling park space in The Woodlands. Nunes said the 208-acre tract of lands must undergo its own study before it can be considered for future partnerships or public amenities. Nunes said the space could only prove to have a fraction of usable space, which will be analyzed once the study is completed.
OPERATING OFFICER, THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP
“We know the value [of the plan] because we have a 15-mile trail in The Woodlands area, our Spring Creek nature trail, and we have trail counselors at several of the dierent access points, and we know our trail hosts over
Spring service area recommendations
Cost breakdown
Trails: $125M
60,000 users a year.” JILL BOULLION, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BAYOU LAND CONSERVANCY
Park renovations: $21.38M
Total: $169.18M
Natural parks features: $2.65M New parks facilities: $20.15M
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 3COMMUNITY IMPACT
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THE WOODLANDS EDITION
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