HOUSTON – A city project years in the making has been unveiled.
Members of the public got a chance to visit the new Kinder Landbridge and Prairie.
On Saturday, leaders hosted the biggest picnic in the state to celebrate.
Officials broke ground on this project in 2020 and Houstonians say they are proud of the completed work.
“Been watching it over the years with the growth and changes that have come to Memorial Park,” one attendee said.
The Kinder Landbridge and Prairie is a major portion of the Memorial Park master plan, which was proved in 2015 by city council to focus on restoring the park’s ecological systems.
People will finally be able to walk across the tunnels which opened last year and today.
“It adds an extra element to Memorial Park but also to Houston because there’s nothing like this, I don’t think, in the state of Texas. The size of this park is just enormous and incredible, and I think it’s going to draw more people to Memorial Park and this part of Houston.”
The president of the memorial park conservancy says the land bridge provides a safe crossing for park users, reconnects wildlife corridors, and helps manage stormwater.
“This project is not just about creating a passage or a bridge. This passage is about ecology, it’s about resilience, it’s about biodiversity, it’s about stormwater management. This project is a bridge to Houston’s future,” President of the Memorial Park conservancy Shellye Arnold said.
Part of the overall 10-year plan will include additional trails and bridges to add connectivity in the park.