The Children's Park
Tyler, Texas
October 26, 2004 - The Children's Park donated to the City of Tyler
September 19, 2004 - Grand Opening
March - September 2004 - Construction
January 2004 - Ground Breaking
January - March 2003 - MHS Planning and Design
delivered the final city approved park designs for The
Children's Park.
Rose Rudman Park
Tyler, Texas
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MHS Planning & Design developed the concept
and master plan for the 25 mile linear greenbelt along Mud Creek in Tyler,
Texas. Phase One of the greenbelt was partially funded by a Texas Parks &
Wildlife grant application prepared by Mark Spencer, who also acted as the
lead designer and project manager for phase one construction, which
consisted of a 2½ mile multipurpose trail along a pristine tree lined creek.
The trail corridor includes exercise stations, a party pavilion, four
pedestrian bridges, waterfalls, lighting, pavilions, information kiosks, a
pedestrian underpass beneath a major arterial, utilities & landscaping.
Mark Spencer of MHS Planning & Design was responsible for not only designing
the vast majority of the project, but for developing the initial concept
sketches, preparing the overall greenbelt long range master plan,
coordinating local funding efforts, and preparing a successful grant request
to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Larry Morgan, Tyler's Director of Parks and
Recreation at the time said, "There is no question that Rudman Park would
not be in existence today without the tireless efforts, ability and
knowledge of Mr. Spencer".
Since the completion of Phase One, MHS Planning & Design was retained by the
City of Tyler to prepare an ISTEA grant application for 6.5 more miles of
trail, which is currently under design by the firm.
Ben Gill Park
Terrell, Texas
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The involvement in this project began at the concept development phase and
led through all other aspects, including the oversight of the construction.
MHS Planning & Design was responsible for analyzing the needs of the
community, preparing site master plans to meet those needs, and preparing
and submitting a grant application to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Once the
grant application was funded, MHS Planning & Design prepared construction
plans and specifications for the project, prepared bid documents and
administered the construction effort, as well as the grant.
The Ben Gill Park project included the construction of a three acre lake, a
multi-purpose trail system, four baseball fields with a concession/restroom
building, football field, playground, entry roads, parking lot and a new
water slide at their existing swimming pool. The focal point of the park is
a new 60' x 125' state of the art pavilion built on a peninsula of the lake.
The laminated arched beam structure contains a fireplace, restrooms,
barbecue grills, and a small stage area for outdoor performances. A ¾ mile
walking and jogging trail was included in this major park expansion. The
park was the site of the 1999 Dixie Youth Baseball Series.
Heritage Park
Mount Pleasant, Texas
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The Heritage Park project evolved from a city wide Parks and Open Space
Master Plan prepared by MHS Planning & Design in 1994. The master plan
called for systematic improvements to the entire park network, with the
first priority being the development of a new community park on sixty acres
of city-owned property. Shortly after the adoption of the master plan, the
largest employer in the area, Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, made a commitment
to fund the construction of the new park based on the "common sense"
approach outlined in the plan. MHS Planning & Design was selected to design
the project, prepare and submit a grant application to Texas Parks and
Wildlife, and to administer the construction and forthcoming grant.
The project includes the construction of a three field girl's softball
complex, a men's softball complex, soccer fields, practice fields, tennis
courts, a basketball court, and a specially designed teen area with sand
volleyball courts and a pavilion. The park also includes a new three acre
lake with a multi-use trail along its shores.
Haltom City - Parks and Open Space Master Plan
& Buffalo Ridge Park
Haltom City, Texas
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The 1994-2001 Haltom City Parks and Open Space Master Plan is a good example
of the "results oriented" planning approach used by MHS Planning & Design.
Through the planning process the City leaders gained an understanding of the
poor status of the existing park network and the value good parks add to the
quality of life of a community.
As a result of the Parks and Open Space Master Plan, Haltom City instituted
a parkland dedication ordinance, budgeted and implemented a park playground
improvement program, and hired MHS Planning & Design to apply to Texas Parks
and Wildlife for the acquisition and development of a 125 acre linear park
along Big Fossil Creek. The City has since received funding from Texas Parks
and Wildlife for the $1,000,000 Buffalo Ridge Park project and selected MHS
Planning & Design to prepare plans and specifications for the project,
including cost estimates and development strategy for two miles of trail
along Big Fossil Creek. The project was completed in March of 1997.
One of the most appealing aspects of the Big Fossil Creek Greenbelt project
was that the City did not spend a single tax dollar for the project. The
$500,000 local match came from land, some owned by the City, some donated by
developers; cash given to the City in lieu of land donations; and funds from
the school district for shared recreational facilities. Since the
completion of Buffalo Ridge Park, Haltom City has employed MHS Planning &
Design for six additional park projects.
Oyster Creek Greenbelt
Sugar Land, Texas
The Oyster Creek Greenbelt project is a 95 acre, 2 ½ mile long park along
Oyster Creek in Sugar Land, Texas. The park includes trails, picnic areas,
and a spectacular water garden located in an old 5-acre excavation pit on
the banks of the creek.
The project is partially funded by a grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife,
which was prepared by MHS Planning and Design. The project was scored as
the number one grant project by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
After MHS was selected to design the park and prepare construction plans, a
team of the most
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talented design professionals in the southern
United States was assembled. The end product is a unique greenbelt park
which blends pristine natural open space with man made elements, including a
state of the art 320 foot long water course complete with waterfalls,
fountains, lighting, and lush landscape. The water feature was designed to
meander through a two acre amphitheater which is anticipated to be the
center of outdoor cultural events in the south Houston region.
“The transformation of the pit into signature park facilities has exceeded
all expectations.” (National Recreation and Park Association Magazine, April
2002)
Brazos River Corridor Plan
Sugar Land, Texas
This project evolved from the Sugar Land Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
Master Plan 1996 - 2001 and the Brazos River Corridor Master Plan, both
prepared by MHS Planning & Design.
The plan covers 9 ½ miles along the river through southern Sugar Land and
will ultimately contain over 3,000 acres of parks and natural open spaces
connected by a continuous multi-use trail system.
MHS Planning & Design is currently working with the City of Sugar Land, the
University of Houston, and private developers to design the 700 acre first
phase of the corridor park. The first phase will include an outdoor
education area complete with visitors center, wetlands, observation towers,
and a reforestation demonstration site. Also included are picnic pavilions
and an amphitheater around a new 30 acre lake, athletic fields, river
overlooks, campsites, and canoe launches, all connected by a multi-use
continuous trail system.
The project has received the attention of the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, and the potential to extend the corridor park south to the Gulf
of Mexico is being explored.
Nichols Green
Jacksonville, Texas
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Nichols Green is a unique 240 acre park in Jacksonville, Texas. The project
is unique in that it integrates a neighborhood park, a community park, and a
regional park on one of the most beautiful tracts of land in East Texas.
The project blends passive and active recreational areas with natural open
space, creeks, waterfalls, and meadows to provide an extremely diverse
setting.
All of the park facilities are connected by one of the most beautiful trails
in Texas. The first, second, and third phases of the project were partially
funded through Texas Parks and Wildlife grants prepared by MHS Planning &
Design.
The grand opening of Phase One the park was an outstanding event attended by
Governor George W. Bush and Andrew Sansom, Executive Director of Texas Parks
and Wildlife. Sansom stated, “So often parks today are nothing but
athletic fields and parking lots tightly placed on a piece of property.
Nichols Green is a great example of the proper combination of park
activities placed around the unique natural features that the land has to
offer.”
Coleman Lake Park
Sulphur Springs, Texas
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MHS Planning and Design developed a plan to preserve the natural attributes
of the site and enhance the lake as the main feature of the park.
The project contains six baseball/softball fields around a heavily wooded
three acre central spectator plaza. Seven soccer fields have been
individually carved out of a Post Oak forest which gives the appearance of
lush meadows, each surrounded by beautiful mature trees. The natural
appearance of the park was further captured with large boulders found on
the site utilized to outline many of the facilities in the park.
The focal point of the park, 40 acre Coleman Lake, was reconstructed. The
lake was dredged, reshaped and landscaped. The landscaping included
constructed wetlands, a series of man made streams and waterfalls, and the
addition of habitat and fish structures to harbor game fish. The lake is
ringed with a trail that will help to provide easy access to other elements
in the park such as the tennis courts, athletic fields, playgrounds,
pavilions, picnic areas and parking lots.
Faulkner Park
Lindale, Texas
Faulkner Park was made possible by the donation of 170 acres of prime land
by Robert Faulkner and a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant prepared by MHS
Planning and Design. After the notification of the grant application being
approved, MHS was hired to prepare the plans and specifications, and
administer the construction of the park. The project will be developed in
phases and will be the first regional park in the Lindale area.
Phase One of Faulkner Park includes an entry road, parking lot, multi-use
trail around the existing 10-acre lake, four soccer fields, a central
concession/restroom building, two horseshoe pits, four tennis courts, a
basketball court, a playground, a fishing pier/outdoor classroom, five
picnic settings, tree planting, utilities, and signage. Along with the
active recreational opportunities to be enjoyed by area residents, there
are the benefits of the preservation of natural open space and passive
recreational opportunities.
Aransas County / Rockport
Parks and Open Space Master Plan
& Rockport Community Park
Rockport, Texas
MHS Planning & Design was selected to develop a Parks and Open Space Master
Plan for a joint planning project between the City of Rockport, Texas and
Aransas County. The area is often referred to as the birding capital of the
Texas Coastal Bend because of its unique mix of natural ecosystems. In
fact, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - the wintering home of the once
endangered Whooping Crane, is located in the County. Early in the planning
process it was determined that the proper integration of compatible
recreational elements within the sensitive natural environment would be the
key to a successful plan. The end result was a Parks and Open Space Master
plan that heavily contributed to Rockport and Aransas County receiving the
2000 Outstanding Board-Commission Award from the National Recreation and
Parks Association.
More importantly, the plan led immediately to the implementation of three
key projects: the acquisition and development of an aquatic center, the
acquisition and development of the first phase of the Rockport Loop Trail,
and the expansion of Memorial Park. Each of these projects involved the
acquisition of unique natural areas to be preserved while allowing needed
recreational facility construction on non-sensitive lands.
The Community Park project was partially funded through a $500,000 grant
application from Texas Parks and Wildlife. The project, as prepared and
designed by MHS Planning & Design, was scored as the #1 project in the State
by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Harry Myers Park Expansion
Rockwall, Texas
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MHS Planning & Design prepared and submitted a grant application to Texas
Parks & Wildlife for the Myers Park expansion project in Rockwall. In
August of 2000 the City of Rockwall received a $500,000 matching grant for
the improvements. Once the grant was funded, MHS Planning & Design prepared
the site plan, construction plans and specifications for the project,
prepared bid documents and administered the construction.
The expansion included the acquisition of 43 acres, which more than doubled
the size of the 30 acre community park. The new park contains the four acre
Aluminum Plant Lake and includes a fishing pier, horseshoe pits and
multi-use trails with a 70 foot pedestrian bridge that connects to the
city’s trail network. The park also includes a highly successful water
sprayground, pavilion and a natural amphitheater carved out of the lakeside
hill.
The combination of recreational facilities that now surround the beautiful
lake have turned out to make Myers Park one of the most popular destinations
in Rockwall.
Mineola Nature Preserve on the Sabine River
Mineola, Texas
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The Mineola Nature Preserve on the Sabine River consists of 2,960 acres of
uplands, lowlands, both young and mature bottomland forests, successional
woodlands, and over six miles of Sabine River frontage. MHS Planning &
Design began work on the master plan for the Preserve in July of 2001. The
master plan began with an extensive inventory of the existing parks and open
space, and a community wide evaluation of needs through public surveys, a
series of public meetings, and focus group interviews.
Phase I of the Preserve was funded through grants from Texas Parks &
Wildlife, the National Fish and Wildlife foundation, donated money and city
funds. Improvements constructed in Phase I include over 2 ½ miles of
trails, pavilions overlooking the Sabine River valley, restrooms, roads,
parking, picnic facilities, wildlife viewing stations, fishing pier, and a
playground. Additionally, wildlife viewing corridors were constructed as
food plots and wildflower meadows.
The Preserve promises to be one of the most innovative and interesting
outdoor recreation destinations in Texas.
Center Park
Center, Texas
In 2000 the City of Center hired MHS Planning & Design to update their Parks
& Open Space Master Plan and prepare a Texas Parks & Wildlife grant
application for Center Park.
Upon a successful grant application, MHS Planning & Design was hired to
design the project, prepare construction plans and specifications and to
administer the construction. The Center Park project included the
construction of a baseball/softball complex, which featured the Center High
School Varsity baseball and softball fields and two youth baseball fields.
The park was designed around a constructed 2 ½ acre lake which is ringed
with a walking trail. The picnic pavilion, pier and playground on the shore
of the lake have become a popular gathering place for the citizens of the
area. Project was completed in 2004.
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