Nov 16 2009
Designed by TBG Partners, the new $1.5 million park and recreation destination will provide open-air gathering spaces, a comprehensive trail system, and a Veterans Memorial Plaza for west Houston residents
After years of local efforts to provide a new park and recreation destination for west Houston residents, phase I of the eight-acre Rick Rice Park is nearing completion and a transformation is underway. The park, an aesthetic enhancement and creative use of a stormwater detention area next to Mason Creek in the west Houston community of Katy, now offers benches, an overlook platform, a central lake and fountain surrounded by a mile-long trail, and its signature component - the Veterans Memorial Plaza, which was unofficially unveiled to the public on Veterans Day (November 11) with the raising of the military service flags for the Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force, as well as the Texas and United States flags. Keys to the flagpoles were also presented to the local Military Order of Purple Heart Veterans by Interstate Municipal Utility District (Interstate MUD) officials for use in future ceremonies at the memorial.
The park is named after long-time west Houston resident Rick Rice to commemorate his dedicated efforts to enhance the area's outdoor environments. For more than two decades, Rice has served on local planning commissions and has donated valuable time and efforts to beautify west Houston.
This impending completion of the project's first phase is the result of significant efforts and close cooperation between the Harris County Flood Control District, Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack, the Interstate MUD and TBG Partners, the landscape architecture and site planning firm responsible for the park and trail systems' design.
"We are extremely pleased with our partnership with TBG Partners and the work they have done for the district and west Houston," said Barry J. Kaplan, president of Interstate MUD. "The Interstate MUD board is very excited to provide an amenity like this for our residents, and we know that it will be a jewel and an asset for the community for years to come."
The park is also a notable achievement for local collaboration and progressive financing mechanisms. In 2003, Texas voters passed Proposition 4, allowing the Texas State Legislature to authorize certain districts to issue bonds for the development and maintenance of recreational facilities, ultimately leading to the creation of parks and amenities like Rick Rice Park.
"The unveiling of Rick Rice Park in west Houston's Interstate MUD represents a grand accomplishment in developing and maintaining a valued regional amenity through bond financing, all without raising taxes," added Kaplan.
Since the Interstate MUD is primarily a commercial district that generates a large part of its tax revenue from transactions occurring within its jurisdiction, initial construction costs were funded entirely through sales taxes. Current and future development and financing will be derived from the sale of bonds. Because bond rates are low and the district has cut its tax rate for five consecutive years, tax rates will continue to decline even as Rick Rice Park continues to be developed as a recreational amenity for the region.
Phase II of the project will add landscaped trails and sidewalks along both sides of Mason Creek. The trails and sidewalks will be part of a regional trail network, connecting Rick Rice Park to other regional destinations including, ultimately, George Bush Park. Other planned developments include a pedestrian bridge over the creek, connecting Rick Rice Park to the Harris County Precinct 2 trail system. The bridge will be lit at night and will serve as a visual and functional asset, featuring an inviting plaza space with a wall of trees to screen commercial activities immediately to the north.
Source: http://www.tbg-inc.com/