The Houston Parks Board (HPB), a nonprofit that works in collaboration with local stakeholders to improve the city’s parks, has announced a $27 million grant from the Kinder Foundation in support of renovations to MacGregor Park.

The “catalyst gift” will bolster the long-planned $54 million redevelopment of the 65-acre park along Brays Bayou in southeast Houston and help HPB raise an additional $12.5 million. Additional funding for the project includes a total of $10.5 million from several City of Houston sources and a $4 million federal community project grant sponsored by Houston-area congressional representative Sheila Jackson Lee. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.

The redevelopment project will include the renovation of the parks’ swimming pool, community center, tennis courts, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza. The project will extend the park’s perimeter trail to link with the existing Bayou Greenways trail and include enhancements to a network of community bike lanes. In addition, the project plans call from the creation of natural amphitheater for programming and communal gatherings and an all-abilities, ADA-accessible playground.

“We remain committed to investing in projects that increase the quality of life for our community,” said Kinder Foundation president Nancy Kinder. “MacGregor Park is one of Houston’s most beloved parks, and we’re thrilled to contribute to a project that further develops and preserves this important greenspace in southeast Houston.”

(Photo credit: Wikimedia/WhisperToMe)