The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) oversees 350 developed parks and more than 200 green spaces, totaling over 39,000 acres. We are committed to providing the citizens we serve with educational and recreational programming; with responsible stewardship of Houston’s parkland, green spaces and urban forest; and with volunteering and partnership opportunities for individuals and businesses that support the city’s parks.
Partnering With Parks can help your group meet its goals while improving the city’s quality of life and providing one of the most visible and public ways to demonstrate your dedication and commitment to the environment and to the community. Public-private partnerships benefit all of us. Won’t you join us today to create something wonderful for all Houstonians?
Here’s a small sampling of partnership opportunities available with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department:
Community Center Development
HPARD Community Centers serve as the center of the department’s Recreation and Wellness Programs. They provide a neighborhood gathering place and provide programming and recreational leisure activities for all ages. They foster volunteerism, unite families, build cultural tolerance and support seniors, youth and people with disabilities.
Playgrounds Without Limits Playgrounds Without Limits is a campaign to build at least 4 inclusive playgrounds (1 in each geographic quadrant of the city) by the year 2010. These playgrounds surpass ADA accessibility guidelines and provide a variety of play elements and activities for children of all abilities. Ramps and transfer systems address mobility issues, elements like elevated sand boxes provide children with sight impairment sensory-rich activities to enjoy, and porch-swing gliders give children with wheelchairs the opportunity to enjoy a swing. Each Playground Without Limits has an approximate cost of $500,000.
Park Playgrounds
Playgrounds provide kids with an opportunity for free, unstructured play. For children, play is an important factor in how they develop both socially and physically. It offers significant health benefits and is a crucial factor in the overall well being of children. Kids who play build their confidence and learn social skills that help them become happy, well-adjusted adults. Approximately 200 new public park playgrounds are needed in Houston, with varying sizes and components to match the needs of the park, neighborhood, and age of the children playing on them.
Soccer Fields The phenomenal growth of soccer in the last 2 decades has resulted in a nationwide shortage of fields. The sport is expected to grow in popularity, leading even more youth and adult amateur teams and leagues to vie for space every day of the week, especially inside Beltway 8. HPARD’s goal is to build at least 12 soccer complexes by 2010. The 12 sites were selected for their demographics and ability to support 4 or more full-sized soccer fields.
Houston Parks Adventure Program The Houston Parks Adventure Program aims to promote nature education, conservation, and outdoor recreation through innovative and affordable programming that sparks the interest of all ages, especially youth. This program offers unique recreational and environmental education activities in parks aimed at developing an appreciation of our ecosystem; increasing skills and knowledge in activities like hiking, camping, fishing, and birding; and building an understanding of the important role parks play in our quality of life. Houston Parks Adventure is designed to be a collaborative, community-based program targeted to impact at-risk, minority children and teens as well as women and seniors.
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) oversees 350 developed parks and more than 200 green spaces, totaling over 39,000 acres. We are committed to providing the citizens we serve with educational and recreational programming; with responsible stewardship of Houston’s parkland, green spaces and urban forest; and with volunteering and partnership opportunities for individuals and businesses that support the city’s parks.
Playgrounds Without Limits is a campaign to build at least 4 inclusive playgrounds (1 in each geographic quadrant of the city) by the year 2010. These playgrounds surpass ADA accessibility guidelines and provide a variety of play elements and activities for children of all abilities. Ramps and transfer systems address mobility issues, elements like elevated sand boxes provide children with sight impairment sensory-rich activities to enjoy, and porch-swing gliders give children with wheelchairs the opportunity to enjoy a swing. Each Playground Without Limits has an approximate cost of $500,000.
The Houston Parks Adventure Program aims to promote nature education, conservation, and outdoor recreation through innovative and affordable programming that sparks the interest of all ages, especially youth. This program offers unique recreational and environmental education activities in parks aimed at developing an appreciation of our ecosystem; increasing skills and knowledge in activities like hiking, camping, fishing, and birding; and building an understanding of the important role parks play in our quality of life. Houston Parks Adventure is designed to be a collaborative, community-based program targeted to impact at-risk, minority children and teens as well as women and seniors.