Park Improvement

Planning for Tomorrow: Park Improvement and Playground Renovation Projects at Fonde Park

Friends of Fonde Park (FOFP) is dedicated to fulfilling our mission to actively preserve and improve Fonde Park by engaging the community in its stewardship and enhancement. Through strategic partnerships and dedicated advocacy, we are implementing significant improvements to ensure Fonde Park remains a vital resource for Super Neighborhood 69 and beyond.

This work falls under our core pillar of Resource Stewardship: maintaining, enhancing, and protecting the park’s natural resources and facilities, while promoting safety standards.

We are championing a better Fonde Park for all!

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1. CIP Park Planning: Laying the Roots for a Comprehensive Master Plan

We are undertaking a foundational project to develop a comprehensive Park Master Plan, which is critical for guiding future growth and improvement at Fonde Park.

Project Funding and Collaboration:

• 30,000CIPGrantSecured:∗∗Applied as Fonde Civic Club ∗30,000 CIP grant from Precinct 2 specifically for park planning.

• Joint Stewardship: FOFP is working alongside the Fonde Civic Club to steward these improvements.

• Planning Phase: A key aspect of this project involves hiring a firm (such as Asakura Robinson?) to develop detailed park plans. This process is currently overseen by Board member Molly Salazar and Duke Amos. Once we have a plan update or picture, we will create a page for the Park Master Plan

• FOFP's Role: Our efforts involve learning about Park Planning so we can educate our community. Karina has joined HGAC's Parks and Natural Areas Round Table and attends other parks improvement community meetings, such as James Butte Park. We don't know what to ask for if we don't know what the possibilities are and the cost.

We will also be compiling community input and feedback to inform the master plan, ensuring it reflects the community's needs and desires. This comprehensive approach is necessary for maintaining, enhancing, and protecting the park's facilities and resources.

How this Project Fulfills Our Mission:

This park planning initiative is fundamental to realizing our holistic mission, supporting:

• Resource Stewardship: It focuses on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting the park's natural resources and facilities.

• Community Preservation: It helps preserve the park as a crucial resource for neighborhood residents and the broader public.

• Ensuring Accessibility: The planning ensures continued access for all community members.

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2. Playground Renovation: Cultivating Great Community Spaces

A major infrastructure improvement project is underway to update the Fonde Park playground, focusing on safety, accessibility, and enjoyment for families.

Project Funding and Accountability:

• 300,000Allocation:∗∗∗∗300,000 has been allocated for Fonde Park playground improvement by Council Member Martinez and Houston Park's Department director Lisa.

• Safety and Accessibility: This renovation is crucial for enhancing the safety, accessibility, and enjoyment of the park's facilities, particularly for children.

• Collaboration: FOFP is actively collaborating with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Council Member Martinez's office to ensure accountability for the requested improvements.

Community Engagement in the Renovation:

We believe that community voices must guide these enhancements:

• Ongoing Input: We are conducting ongoing community engagement activities to gather input from park users, especially families and children, on preferred playground designs and features.

• Research & Documentation: Our team documents the current condition of the playground and conducts research on best practices for playground design and safety standards to guide the renovation.

• Accountability: We have requested the line-by-line details for this project to ensure we receive the improvements the community needs. 

Get Involved!

You can contribute to the future of our park by providing your input through our community engagement process! Filling out our surveys helps inform our advocacy, telling us about community needs, issues of interest, dreams, threats, and pressures you are experiencing.

Please go here for the updates: https://www.fondecivicclub.org/for-residents/fonde-park-update