by Nicole Bradford
A new parks master plan update under development in Pearland is looking carefully at unused open spaces that could be repurposed for recreation.
In addition to gathering community feedback and an assessment of current parks and recreation facilities, the firm tasked with updating the city’s parks plan has pinpointed nine spaces that could support recreation.
Compared to other similar benchmark communities, Pearland lands near the bottom for parkland, with only about 547 acres, said Aaron Tuley, a planner with Baxter & Woodman, the firm hired by the City of Pearland in December to update its parks plan.
“One of the things we’re trying to do based on recreation needs is how can we boost the amount of parkland acreage within the city to support not only current demand but future demand,” Tuley told Pearland ISD school board members on May 13.
Since Pearland ISD owns five of the nine open spaces, Tuley and city staff members approached the board at its May meeting for feedback. Whether those spaces can be loaned through interlocal agreements, leased or purchased, or a combination isn’t yet clear.
“We’re still in the early phases of this master plan,” Parks and Recreation director Carry Capers said. “There’s a lot of different conversations to be had. We’re open to a lot of different partnership opportunities.”
What is known is the district is not currently planning on building on any of the five sites, which include 45 acres at Liberty Drive and Broadway, 61 acres at the Veterans Sports Complex, 40 acres at Cullen and Broadway, 4.5 acres adjacent to Shadycrest Elementary, and 16 acres close to the Pearland Parkway traffic circle.
“Because we are not growing enrollment, we are not looking to build any new schools,” PISD Superintendent Larry Berger said.
The city’s master parks plan, set to be complete next year, has sought community feedback over the past six months. That feedback has revealed unmet needs in the community, particularly in terms of athletic field space.
