In the 1980s, everyone agreed that Houston needs a new performing arts center. Even a recession couldn't stop the Wortham Center from rising in downtown Houston.
Houston's Westchase District has a new and thoroughly modern greenspace for families to enjoy. After two years of design and construction,Camden Park is now officially open.
“This is a destination park experience unlike any other in west Houston,” says Irma Sanchez, president and CEO of Westchase District. “And as a fully programmed space with year-round activities, Camden Park offers something for everyone—whether it’s fitness, arts and culture, or simply a refreshing outdoor escape.”
Camden is much more than a standard park, and serves a community purpose closer to a space like Discovery Green. It does have ample playground aspects, including a water feature children can interact with, swings, tunnels, and a giant climbable hummingbird. A dozen mature Bald Cypress and Southern Live Oak trees were relocated from a nearby space on the Beltway after they were due to be destroyed in a construction project. Now, they shade the dog park.
Camden also includes multi-purpose pavilions and a 30,000-square-foot lawn space that can host gatherings and events. Outdoor reading chairs are situated near a complimentary lending library for those who just want to enjoy a good book on a nice day. Nearby is Sunday Press, an on-site cafe with indoor or outdoor seating as well as a roofed terrace to leisurely survey the park from.
Westchase District already has several park programs in place for Camden. There will be weekly fitness events including Zumba, Tai Chi, Samba, a running club, and a Sunday boot camp. When Halloween and Christmas roll around, events that were previously held at Woodcase Park will now be held at Camden. A complete calendar of events is available at this link.
The park is located at 2951 Wilcrest Drive just north of Richmond and sits on 3.4 acres of land. It was conceived and designed by Westchase District with construction by D.L. Meacham and landscaping by the Office of James Burnett (OJB). The total cost of the project was $18.7 million, funded by donations from Camden Property Trust, BGE, Inc., CenterPoint Energy, Cullen Foundation, Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, H-E-B, LAN, Park Eight, Perry Homes, Phillips 66, Stedman West Foundation, Sunderland Foundation, Texas Parks & Wildlife, The Brown Foundation, and The Elkins Foundation. Initial plans for a multi-purpose outdoor space began when the City of Houston purchased the land in 2016.
Courtesy of Camden Park
The entrance to Camden Park
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