This 7.2-acre site that was awarded a $500,000 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Outdoor Grant, began as an existing rectilinear detention basin, open drainage ditch and a flat, bare triangle of land. The Parks Masterplan, prepared by TLA, was submitted as a TPWD grant and was the first of its kind in the program demonstrating a dual use of land.
The project, as implemented by TLA, meets the neighborhood’s needs as a detention facility (its primary purpose) during rainfall events then return to normal levels after a few hours when White Oak Bayou can accommodate its normal flow. All the facilities must accommodate this inundation while returning to traditional park use (its secondary purpose) for most of the time.
The larger (South) basin contains an island and a peninsula. The 100% Accessible Trail System is constructed of a pervious concrete that links the peninsula to the mainland via three bridges. An octagonal wooden Learning Pier was added at the center of the peninsula for outdoor classes and community events (South Basin Learning Pier). The habitat for local wildlife was improved with the addition of more than 300 tree plantings and wetland plants such as bulrushes, reeds, and irises (landscaping).
Recently renamed as Brengel Park, a third parcel connected to these basins by a trail was built as a traditional park containing a covered pavilion, basketball court, spray-ground (water play area), playgrounds, exercise trail, and picnic areas (park playground). Planting larger specimen trees in this area created a park that looks as though it has been there for years.
This park’s development, with costs shared by a combination of funding sources, represents conservation of resources fiscally and environmentally.