21 Mar Parks

When individuals discuss key factors that enhance Quality of Life, diverse opinions emerge, yet green spaces and community parks consistently rank high on the list.

Despite their crucial role in enhancing community well-being, parks often receive lower priority in municipal budgets and are usually the first to face cuts when financial adjustments are necessary.

As an advocate for parks, I am grateful for our collective efforts in establishing a Park Silo funded through sales tax by the Industrial Development Corporation. Our parks offer more than just green escapes; they are hubs of activity, including Menard, Kempner, Shield, and Jones Parks, along with vast protected areas like the East End Lagoon and Artist Boat lands, and beach parks managed by the Park Board. Facilities like Crockett Park, Sandhill Soccer Complex, and Lasker Park exemplify our commitment to optimizing community spaces.

Even small urban spaces, like the Streetscape projects on 23rd Street, contribute to our park ecosystem.

In recent years, the City, sometimes in collaboration with initiatives like Vision Galveston, has tirelessly worked to sustain and grow our parks. Plans are underway for new projects, including the development of Shield Park and a Seaport Park as part of the Port’s Master Plan, underscoring our dedication to expanding our park infrastructure.

Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “A nation behaves well if it treats its natural resources as assets, which it must turn over to the next generation.” Echoing Theodore Roosevelt’s wisdom on conserving natural resources for future generations, our investment in our parks is fundamentally an investment in our community’s future.

Craig