HOUSTON — Harris County officials and the Houston Parks Board will open a new 100-acre public park in the Sunnyside neighborhood on Saturday, May 30, marking the completion of the first new park in the area in nearly 50 years.
The $30 million project, called the Hill at Sims Park, sits in the predominantly Black Sunnyside community in southeast Houston outside Loop 610.
Rodney Ellis and the Houston Parks Board said the park resulted from a public-private partnership. Ellis’ office and federal and state funding contributed $22 million, while the Houston Parks Board and private donors provided nearly $8 million through support from the Brown Foundation.
Ellis said the project addresses a long-standing lack of green spaces in the community.
The park includes nearly five miles of paved and dirt trails for walking and biking, the Brown Foundation Hilltop Pavilion, a 60-foot hill with views of downtown Houston, Uptown and the Texas Medical Center, a glass viewing platform, six overlook areas, and large-scale murals created in partnership with Street Art for Mankind.
The project also includes the Dr. Alma Allen Bridge, which connects the park to the Sims Bayou Greenway and provides access to nearly 20 miles of trails. The bridge is named after state Rep. Alma Allen.
The park was built within a stormwater detention basin owned by the Harris County Flood Control District, which provides more than 300 million gallons of stormwater storage capacity.
The flood control district said it collaborated with partners to incorporate recreational features into the infrastructure project.
The grand opening will run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday and will include food, music, children’s activities, and shuttle and bicycle valet services.
